Expenditure

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the 10 non-public sector entities that have received the largest total sum of payments from his Office in each of the last five years.

Tony Blair: For these purposes my office forms part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Edward Miliband) today.

Official Residences

Oliver Heald: To ask the Prime Minister what the (a) notional market rent,  (b) estimated capital value and  (c) total annual cost of (i) rent, (ii) security,(iii) utilities, (iv) facilities management and (v) general maintenance was for (A) Flat 1 Admiralty House, (B) Flat 2 Admiralty House, (C) Flat 3 Admiralty House, (D) Government House in Pimlico, (E) No. 1 Carlton Gardens, (F) Bute House, (G) the Chancellor of the Exchequer's residence in Downing street and (H) his residence in Downing street in the last year for which figures are available.

Tony Blair: Expenditure on official residences is a matter for the relevant Ministers' Departments.
	The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. For the cost of routine maintenance on the flat above11 Downing street I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 10 March 2006,  Official Report, column 1836-37W.

Digital Television

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans her Department has to increase its audio description targets for digital television.

Shaun Woodward: The Department currently has no plans to increase its audio description targets for digital television. The Communications Bill gives Ofcom a requirement to produce, publish and from time to time review, a Code relating to provision for the deaf and visually impaired and the means by which such services should be promoted. Ofcom are in the process of reviewing the code, and have suggested in their consultation that it would be better to review the statutory target for audio description when it is clearer how many potential beneficiaries will use it.

Gambling

David Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent estimate she has made of the number of people with a gambling addiction.

Richard Caborn: The current estimate is that 0.6 per cent. of the adult population in Great Britain are problem gamblers.
	This figure is drawn from the last national prevalence study published in 2000.
	The Gambling Commission is currently conducting a further prevalence study.

Olympic Games

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of possible cost over-runs on the 2012 Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Ludlow(Mr. Dunne).

Olympic Games

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she has received a copy of the The Business of the Games report by the Economic Development, Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee of the Greater London Assembly; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: I have seen a copy of this report and I endorse the London Assembly's recognition of the importance of ensuring that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are equipped to benefit from the many opportunities that the 2012 Games will bring. Small businesses across the value chain, in a wide variety of sectors and throughout the nations and regions, have much to gain from the commercial opportunities arising from the Games. Government are determined to maximise those opportunities both for SMEs and British business as a whole. All the Olympic partners and stakeholders are working together to identify the best model to achieve this, taking into account best practice from previous host cities.

Cricket (Television Coverage)

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to meet the England and Wales Cricket Board and the major broadcasters to discuss television coverage of test match cricket.

Richard Caborn: As I made clear, both at the Select Committee hearing on 29 November and in my response to the Committee Report, published in March, I am willing to convene a meeting between the terrestrial broadcasters and BSkyB, but only upon the understanding that the broadcasters are willing to negotiate with BSkyB. To that end, I wrote to the major broadcasters on 16 May to canvass their views on whether such a meeting would be useful. We are yet to receive all the responses.

BBC

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who will monitor the BBC's efficiency targets.

Shaun Woodward: holding answer 25 May 2006
	As stated in the White Paper, the Government believe that one of the overriding duties of the Trust should be the effective stewardship of the licence fee on behalf of licence fee payers: making sure that it is spent with maximum effectiveness and efficiency and always providing value for money. It will be part of theTrust's role to secure and demonstrate continuing improvements in the BBC's efficiency, increasing the return provided by its commercial services and bearing down on the costs of proposed investments. The Government also welcome the proposal of the current Chairman of the BBC that the Trust should ask the NAO to consider the extent to which future "self-help" targets are being met and that the results of this work will also be reported to Parliament.

Betting and Gaming

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will next uprate gaming machine stake and prize levels.

Richard Caborn: The stakes and prizes that will apply from September 2007 when the Gambling Act 2005 comes into force were set out at the time the Gambling Bill was introduced into Parliament in October 2004. This remains Government policy.
	These proposals involve raising the maximum stake on Category C gaming machines (currently all cash amusement with prizes machines) from 30p to 50p, and raising the maximum stake on Category B3 and B4 gaming machines (currently jackpot machines in bingo premises and registered clubs respectively) from 50pto £1.

Betting and Gaming

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures are in place to assist  (a) the Gambling Commission and  (b) sports governing bodies to monitor betting placed from outside the UK on sporting events placed from outside the UK which take place within the UK.

Richard Caborn: While the Gambling Commission has no jurisdiction over betting operators licensed outside Great Britain, it is continuing to build upon its co-operative relationships with overseas gambling regulators.
	The Government have worked with sports governing bodies to develop a 10-point plan which facilitates information sharing between sports bodies and betting operators. So far 11 sports bodies have signed up to the voluntary plan and an increasing number have Memorandum of Understanding with betting operators allowing for the sharing of information about suspicious betting patterns or individuals betting with those operators here or abroad.

Big Lottery Funding

Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on progress with the work of the Big Lottery Fund.

Richard Caborn: The Big Lottery Fund is the operating name of the National Lottery Charities Board and the New Opportunities Fund, working jointly together. A UK-wide framework of themes and outcomes for their work has been agreed, and within that relevant priorities for each of the four parts of the UK have been set.
	The Fund has announced a range of new programmes following extensive public consultation; including children's play; support for the voluntary and community sector; for the environment; for well-being and international grants.
	The National Lottery Bill currently before Parliament will establish the Big Lottery Fund as a new statutory NDPB. A recruitment campaign for Board and Committee positions on the Big Lottery Fund is currently under way.

Correspondence

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her answer of 23 May 2006 to question 72575 on the delay in responding to a letter from a constituent, what the reasons are for the delay.

Richard Caborn: I have received several letters about Holme Pierrepont over recent months and officials have been working with Sport England and others to ensure that our response to those inquiries is as complete and up to date as possible. I hope to be able to respond to your inquiry immediately after the Whitsun recess.
	I shall also be meeting representatives of Nottinghamshire county council in the near future to discuss progress.

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff in her Department have had  (a) five or more,  (b) four,  (c) three and  (d) two periods of sick leave of less than five days in each of the last three years.

David Lammy: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Sick absence figures are contained in the annual report Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service published by the Cabinet Office. Table A of the report gives details of both the average working days absence per staff year and the number of staff years on which that calculation is based on. The most recent report for the calendar year 2004 was published 1 November 2005, copies of which are available in the Library. This report and those for 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 are available on the Cabinet Office website at: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/occupational_ health/publications/index.asp

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many non-pensionable bonuses were awarded to members of her staff in each of the last three years; and at what total cost.

David Lammy: The information is in the table
	
		
			   Number of non-pensionable bonuses  Total cost of non-pensionable bonuses (£)  Percentage of paybill 
			 2003-04 232 229,096 1.2 
			 2004-05 239 243,276 1.2 
			 2005-06 276 332,109 1.6

Government Art Collection

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Mr. Hayes) of 5 December 2005,  Official Report, column 1018W, on the Government Art Collection, whether there are plans to insure further items in the Government Art Collection.

David Lammy: The Government Art Collection is not commercially insured. As a general rule, the Government does not purchase commercial insurance for the risks it faces as, in general, it is cheaper for government to cover its own risks. The Government Art Collection does not plan to insure further items beyond those works of art on display in non-government buildings.

Hylas Spacecraft

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions her Department has had with Digital UK on the use of the Hylas spacecraft to increase digital television reception in rural areas; and if she will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: holding answer 25 May 2006
	Neither I, nor my officials have had any discussions with Digital UK regarding the use of the Hylas satellite.

Leased Land

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what  (a) land and  (b) property her Department (i) leases and (ii) leased in (A) 1979, (B) 1983, (C) 1987, (D) 1992 and (E) 1997 in (1) the Southend, West constituency, (2) Essex, (3) Hertfordshire and (4) the Metropolitan Police area of London.

David Lammy: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not have and has never held leases in the Southend, West constituency, Essex or Hertfordshire.
	In the Metropolitan Police area of London, the Department currently leases the following properties:2 to 4 Cockspur Street; Oceanic House, 1a Cockspur Street; Grove House, 2 to 6 Orange Street; Queen's Yard, 179a Tottenham Court Road; 55 Blandford Street.
	The Department was created under its previous name, the Department for National Heritage, in 1992. It thus held no leases in 1979,1983 or 1987. In 1992, the Department leased 2 to 4 Cockspur Street and 2 Sheraton Street. In 1997 the Department leased 2 to 4 Cockspur Street; 2 Sheraton Street; Grove House, 2 to 6 Orange Street; and Haymarket House, Oxendon Street.

Licensed Premises

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many outlets in  (a) the county of Greater Manchester,  (b) Tameside metropolitan borough and  (c) Stockport metropolitan borough have been prosecuted under the LicensingAct 2003.

Shaun Woodward: This information is not held centrally.

Lotteries

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether it is Government policy to encourage competition between the National Lottery and society lotteries.

Richard Caborn: The Government believe that society lotteries and the National Lottery can co-exist happily. Both types of lottery play an important role in raising money for good causes, and it is our policy to ensure that appropriate and proportionate regulation applies in each case. Society lotteries are required to abide by strict limits on proceeds and prizes, currently up to£2 million and £200,000 respectively in any single lottery. We are supporting the work of society lotteries by introducing a range of deregulatory measures through the Gambling Act 2005, and by strengthening the protection for society lotteries from illegal lotteries that purport to be prize competitions in certain media outlets. The National Lottery continues to be regulated under separate legislation.

National Lottery

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Education and Skills on the use of lottery funding for projects in schools.

Richard Caborn: We have regular discussions with colleagues at the Department for Education and Skills about joint programmes, such as those that receive funding from the Big Lottery Fund and the Arts and Sports Councils. For example, this includes the£750 million New Opportunities for PE and Sport (NOPES) programme which is bringing about a step change in the provision of sporting facilities for young people and the community more generally.

National Lottery

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the  (a) cost to date and  (b) projected cost is of the merger of the Community Fund and the New Opportunities Fund to create the Big Lottery Fund.

Richard Caborn: The cost to date of the administrative merger of the Community Fund and the New Opportunities Fund to create the Big Lottery Fund is £4.976 million. The administrative merger is now effectively complete, though some minor costs will be incurred in effecting the legal merger, if the National Lottery Bill is passed. Savings of £3.5 million a year on costs have already been achieved and overall the merger will lead to savings of 10 to 20 per cent. of pre-merger costs, which equates to around £6 to £12 million per annum.

National Lottery

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many members of the public her Department consulted on the proposed changes to the National Lottery; and how many responses were received.

Richard Caborn: My Department held a public consultation between 25 November 2005 and 28 February 2006 about Lottery funding for the good causes of arts and film, heritage and sport after 2009. The consultation could be accessed online through the Department's website and respondents could also reply by postage-paid questionnaire. The consultation received 11,476 responses. The same consultation was also carried by Camelot, on its players' website, for the two weeks to 28 February 2006, receiving 175 responses. My Department also commissioned a series of focus groups across the UK.

National Lottery

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the total amount  (a) allocated and  (b) distributed by each of the lottery distribution bodies in (i) 2005 and (ii) 2006.

Richard Caborn: The table shows the value of grants awarded and how much has been spent by each lottery distributor, using the financial years closest to those in the question.
	The information in table (a) is derived from the Department's lottery award database, searchable at www.lottery.culture.gov.uk, which uses information supplied by the lottery distributors. The 2006 figures are the latest available, but will exclude awards yet to be reported to the Department and included on the database.
	It often takes time for projects that are awarded lottery money to start spending on a project, consequently awards are often spent wholly or partly in different years from those in which they are made.
	The expenditure figures are the sum drawn down from the National Lottery Distribution Fund by each distributor for the years in question, and include operating costs.
	
		
			  Table (a) 
			  £ 
			   Awarded: 
			  Distributing body  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Arts Council England 123,837,021 144,370,701 
			 Arts Council of Northern Ireland 13,513,693 5,447,527 
			 Arts Council of Wales 13,138,415 9,425,019 
			 Community Fund(1) 204,519,573 420,851,262 
			 Heritage Lottery Fund 332,083,116 251,528,624 
			 Millennium Commission 33,100,574 653,256 
			 New Opportunities Fund(2) 385 772 523 102,377,345 
			 Scottish Arts Council 14,639,584 2,529,305 
			 Scottish Screen 4,058,244 1,279,638 
			 Sport England 165,523,562 23,580,559 
			 Sport Scotland 11,077,149 2,179,158 
			 Sports Council for Northern Ireland 456,545 923,315 
			 Sports Council for Wales 4,494,469 2,170,800 
			 UK Film Council 29,022,291 46,204,800 
			 UK Sport 44,621,329 3,476,241 
			 (1) Home Front Recall and the Awards For All Scheme have been included in the figure for the Community Fund.  (2) This includes new programs which have started since the administrative merger of the Community Fund and New Opportunities Fund. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table (b) 
			  £ 
			   Spent: 
			  Distributing body  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Arts Council England 187,259,495 187,611,134 
			 Arts Council of Northern Ireland 8,844,893 10,744,933 
			 Arts Council of Wales 16,044,448 12,715,397 
			 Community Fund 263,685,527 246,852,654 
			 Heritage Lottery Fund 297,713,444 373,082,606 
			 Millennium Commission 54,532,676 51,590,841 
			 New Opportunities Fund 520,000,000 641,200,000 
			 Scottish Arts Council 22,689,783 23,046,339 
			 Scottish Screen 603,632 2,576,767 
			 Sport England 184,000,000 193,100,000 
			 Sport Scotland 28,299,446 21,452,710 
			 Sports Council for Northern Ireland 5,711,573 6,648,731 
			 Sports Council for Wales 17,633,000 12,312,000 
			 UK Film Council 30,637,905 35,581,617 
			 UK Sport 17,252,838 23,245,972

Small Change Big Difference

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department and its agencies have taken following the launch of the Government's Small Change Big Difference Campaign.

Richard Caborn: The Department has not yet taken specific steps as a direct result of the launch of the Small Change Big Difference campaign. However, working largely through Sport England, the lead national body for promoting grassroots participation in sport, we are supporting a range of initiatives to help increase participation in sport and active recreation which reflect and support the campaign's advice.
	As the programme of work develops, the Department of Health will be working across all of government to ensure the programme joins up to promote maximum impact. DH is leading the implementation for this initiative as part of its cross-government commitment to deliver the public health White Paper Choosing Health.

Television Advertising

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which organisations Ofcom has met to discuss restrictions on television advertising of food products targeting children; since she asked Ofcom to examine the issue on 1 December 2003; and on what dates.

Shaun Woodward: The matter raised is the responsibility of the Office of Communications as independent regulator. Accordingly, my officials have asked the Chief Executive of Ofcom to respond directly to my hon. Friend. Copies of the Chief Executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Electoral Commission

Andrew Turner: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what the total cost of the Electoral Commission has been in each financial year since its inception.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission estimates its net resource out-turn expenditure in 2005-06 to be £21.924 million. The corresponding figures for earlier years are given in the Commission's annual reports and accounts for the years concerned. These have been laid before the House and may be viewed in the Library.

Electoral Registration

Oliver Heald: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what research the Commission has undertaken of the number of  (a) failed asylum seekers and  (b) foreign nationals not from the Commonwealth or Irish Republic who are fraudulently on the electoral register.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has undertaken no research into these issues.
	Where it appears to an Electoral Registration Officer that an attempt has been made by any individual to register fraudulently, it would be for them to make inquiries and, if appropriate, alert the police.

International Meetings

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will encourage the Scottish Executive to participate in UK delegations as appropriate at relevant international meetings; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: Arrangements for the Scottish Executive participating in UK delegations to international meetings are clearly laid out in the Memorandum of Understanding and Supplementary Agreements?specifically the Concordats on the Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues and International Relations.

Parliamentary Questions

David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a substantive reply to Question 63598, on electors in Scottish constituencies, tabled by the hon. Member for Glasgow East on14 April.

David Cairns: As my hon. Friend is aware, I replied on 24 May 2006,  Official Report, columns 1804-05W.

Agricultural Waste

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Agricultural Waste Stakeholders Forum has determined how farm plastic waste can best be collected and recovered; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Agricultural Waste Stakeholders' Forum (AWSF) has been awarded £1 million worth of funding under the Business Resource Efficiency and Waste (BREW) Programme over three years. This is to develop a programme of work examining how farm plastic waste can best be collected and recovered within the formal structure of a producer responsibility scheme. Producer responsibility regulations are already in place for producers placing packaging on the market. It is likely that any new collection scheme will be set up to collect both packaging and non packaging farm plastics.
	This programme of work is feeding into the development of statutory producer responsibility regulations. These are currently being developed to increase the collection and recycling of non packaging farm plastics.
	An advisory group, operating as part of the existing Advisory Committee on Packaging, is also being established to assist with the development of the regulations. This group will include producers of both packaging and non-packaging farm plastics, the farming community, the waste industry and relevant Government Departments and Environment Agencies.

Climate Change

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with  (a) companies and  (b) others with large energy bills on plans to restrict carbon dioxide emissions.

Ian Pearson: In 2005, the Government commissioned research from the Carbon Trust and Ecofys to assess alternative policies to increase carbon savings from the non-energy intensive business and the public sector. The Carbon Trust held five stakeholder workshops with energy-intensive sectors, non-energy- intensive sectors (hosted by CBI), the public sector, NGOs and suppliers of energy-efficient equipment.
	In October 2005, DEFRA, DTI and the Climate Group co-hosted a major international conference for business entitled "Climate Change: The Business Forecast". This was attended by over 300 delegates from the UK, other EU and G8 countries, and the major emerging economies of China, Mexico and South Africa.
	Energy intensive industries are covered by the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. DEFRA and DTI have consulted extensively with industry during the development of the phase 2 National Allocation Plan, which sets out our plans to restrict carbon dioxide emissions between 2008-12. A questionnaire canvassing stakeholders' initial views on the longer term future of the EU ETS, post-2012, has recently issued to feed into the Commission's review of the scheme.
	Negotiations are continuing with sectors that became eligible for entry into climate change agreements under S159/2006 and 60/2006, which came into force on 21 January 2006. To date, six new sectors covering approximately 180 companies have joined the agreements. A further six sectors covering approximately 140 companies are awaiting state aid approval and the laying of further regulations before their agreements can be signed.

Correspondence

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what average time was taken by Ministers in his Department to respond to correspondence from hon. and right hon. Members in the last period for which figures are available; and what targets he has set for this process.

Barry Gardiner: Departmental performance in responding to correspondence to Ministers from hon. and right hon. Members, including Members of the House of Lords, is reported annually to Parliament by the Cabinet Office. The latest annual report shows that Defra received 14,305 letters in 2004 and replied to81 per cent. of these within the Department's target of 15 working days. In 2005, Defra received 12,051 letters and replied to 75 per cent. of these within its target.

Departmental Funding

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what procedures he will use to assess the socio-economic reductions in funding by his Department to research establishments following the effects of publication of the Research Council Institute's Public Sector Sustainability Survey.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 22 May 2006
	Decisions on where to place research contracts are taken on assessment of how the identified research need can best be met. Socio-economic considerations are not part of the scientific review process when assessing research proposals.

Recycling

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps are being taken to increase recycling in England.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government's vision for sustainable waste management in England and Wales and their plan of action are set out in their document, "Waste Strategy 2000", available on the Defra website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/strategv/policy.htm. This is currently under review and our revised strategy will put forward a range of measures to build on recent improvements in recycling.
	Defra has set national targets to increase household waste recycling to 25 per cent. by 2005-06, 30 per cent. by 2010 and 33 per cent. by 2015. The amount of household waste which is recycled has doubled in the last 4 years and is continuing to rise.
	Local authorities are working hard to improve their performance in household waste recycling, however, Defra is proposing more targeted intervention and engagement with the poorest performers. Those local authorities with the lowest recycling rates in England have had their targets for 2007-08 raised from 18 per cent. to 20 per cent.
	The Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund and its successor (the Waste Performance and Efficiency Grant) have provided funding totalling £294 million over the three years to 2005-06 for specific projects to expand recycling operations. Through the Private Finance Initiative (PFI), credits worth £355 million have been made available over the same period as an extra source of funding, with a further £535 million available in 2006-07 and 2007-08.
	The Business Resource Efficiency and Waste (BREW) Programme has been developed to give £284 million in additional landfill tax revenues back to business in a revenue neutral way. This is being done by funding resource efficiency and waste projects that will benefit business, including recycling.
	On a national basis, the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is working to promote sustainable waste management by creating stable and efficient markets for recycled materials and products. WRAP also runs the Recycling and Organics Technical Advisory Team (ROTATE), which is available to all local authorities in England to provide support and advice on the separate collection of dry recyclables and organic wastes.

Rural Payments Agency

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what systems have been established to monitor the quality of Rural Payments Agency staff responses to  (a) telephone calls and  (b) electronic mail.

Barry Gardiner: The information is as follows:
	 (a) Telephone calls
	Customer Service Centre (CSC) telephone agents are monitored by their team leaders and given feedback reports each week. Team leaders also listen into calls on a regular basis. From this, agents are given more specific feedback and advice on call handling techniques. The results of these checks are recorded with the weekly feedback to show where development is required and where progress is being made.
	Team leaders also carry out sample checks of customer records on the main computer application to ensure that calls are being logged to the required standard and all relevant information is noted.
	 (b) Electronic mails
	A call tracking system logs all incoming e-mails and date stamps their receipt. The e-mail is assigned to the appropriate Rural Payments Agency site for a response and the time taken to reply is tracked against published charter targets. Using this system, RPA can measure its e-mail handling performance and also identify bottlenecks in the process and allocate resources efficiently to remove them.
	Once the member of staff has investigated the customer's query and drafted a response it is checked by their line manager to ensure that the reply fully answers the customers query and that the spelling and grammar is correct. This is then forwarded to the monitoring office for a final review where the reply is checked for plain English, spelling, grammar and layout.
	RPA launched a CSC on 14 February 2005. This was done to streamline single payment scheme and customer registration telephone enquiries into the agency through one route, to allow staff to concentrate on processing. More importantly, this system aims to ensure that customers receive consistent answers and any more complex inquiries can be directed to specialist areas of the business to call the customer back.
	The main call centre is based in Workington with facilities for calls to be diverted to staff at other RPA sites during periods of unusually high demand.

Rural Payments Agency

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many complaints about Rural Payment Agency (RPA) payments have been received by RPA staff in each of the last five years; and how complaints were  (a) identified and  (b) defined.

David Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 May 2006 to Question 66634, on single farm payments, how many such complaints have been received for England.

Barry Gardiner: The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) does not separately monitor official complaints made to its Customer Relations Unit that specifically relate to payments.
	Since the establishment of RPA in October 2001 1325 official complaints have been received covering all areas of its business. The table shows these broken down by calendar year.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2001 3 
			 2002 212 
			 2003 197 
			 2004 206 
			 2005 424 
			 2006 283 
		
	
	RPA operates an appeal procedure to deal with appeals from customers about decisions reached by RPA which affect the amount of payment which they receive. The Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) appeal procedure in England was introduced on 1 April 2002 and was extended in April 2004 to cover some 60 non-IACS schemes and in November 2004 to cover the Single Payment Scheme (SPS). To date 260 IACS, 15 non-IACS and 51 SPS appeals have been received. In addition, the appeal procedure has dealt with 181 appeals against the Moorland Line and 280 appeals against the historic element of the SPS prior to payments being made.
	
		
			   IACS  Non-IACS  Moorland Line  SPS (Historic)  SPS 
			 2001 — — — — — 
			 2002 26 — — — — 
			 2003 83 — — — — 
			 2004 78 3 82 11 — 
			 2005 57 10 99 246 — 
			 2006 15 2 — 23 51

Rural Payments Agency

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many telephone calls to the Rural Payments Agency Customer Service Centre  (a) were answered and  (b) went unanswered in each month since 2001.

Barry Gardiner: The figures show calls to the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) Customer Service Centre (CSC) Number 0845 603 7777. The CSC went live on 14 February 2005 therefore we only have the number of calls answered for the last two weeks of February.
	The figures for May, June and July 2005 are gathered from a number of sources and include the use of an external call centre.
	
		
			   Calls offered to 0845 603 7777  Unanswered  Percentage unanswered 
			 February 2005 (Calls answered 12,971 Not available Not available 
			 March 2005 110,215 74,337 67.45 
			 April 2005 195,007 94,948 48.69 
			 May 2005 93,346 8,705 9.33 
			 June 2005 24,496 2,46 1.09 
			 July 2005 20,199 247 1.22 
			 August 2005 20,780 218 1.05 
			 September 2005 21,752 249 1.14 
			 October 2005 26,150 317 1.21 
			 November 2005(1) 26,289 1,168 4.44 
			 December 2005 18,725 187 1.00 
			 January 2006 26,628 185 0.69 
			 February 2006 28,322 175 0.62 
			 March 2006 52,748 450 0.85 
			 April 2006 68,684 281 0.41 
			 (1)The November 2005 figure was the result of an emergency evacuation when approx 600 calls (with a high number of repeat calls) were lost. 
		
	
	RPA launched a CSC on 14 February 2005. This was done to streamline single payment scheme and customer registration telephone enquiries into the agency through one route, to allow staff to concentrate on processing. More importantly, this system aims to ensure that customers receive consistent answers and any, more complex enquiries can be directed to specialist areas of the business to call the customer back.
	The main call centre is based in Workington with facilities for calls to be diverted to staff at other RPA sites during periods of unusually high demand.

Single Farm Payments

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research her Department has undertaken into levels of personal debt incurred by farmers due to the late payment of single farm payments.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 27 April 2006
	No specific research has been conducted. However, Ministers keep in close contact with a range of stakeholders, including representative of the major banks, in order to help ensure that a full picture is maintained of the issues facing farmers in relation to the timing of payments under the 2005 Single Payment Scheme.

Small Change Big Difference

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department and its agencies have taken following the launch of the Government's Small Change Big Difference Campaign.

Barry Gardiner: A number of Defra activities fit well with this important campaign.
	Considerable work is being done by Defra to promote healthy living and a better understanding of the natural world through increased access to the English countryside and urban green spaces. This is for people of all ages and backgrounds. Defra has recently launched a public consultation exercise, in collaboration with the Countryside Agency, called "Access for All?". This seeks views on a draft action plan that aims, over a 10 year period, to increase the number of people who choose to make use of outdoor recreational facilities. In particular, the plan is aimed at the nine million disabled people and the five million people from ethnic minority communities in the UK, often living in areas of high urban density, who do not currently access proportionate benefit from England's green areas.
	Following the Countryside and Rights of Way Act (CROW) 2000, since 31 October 2005, about 750,000 hectares of English land have been made available to the public. This "right to roam" means that walkers can freely explore such land without having to stay on footpaths.
	As the programme of work develops the Department of Health (DoH) will be working across all of government to ensure the programme joins up to promote maximum impact. DoH is leading the implementation for this initiative as part of its cross-government commitment to deliver the November 2004 White Paper "Choosing Health: Making healthy choices easier".
	Our Food Industry Sustainability Strategy (FISS), published in April 2006, shows how we are following up the March 2005 paper "Choosing a Better Diet: a Food and Health Action Plan" that arise from the White Paper. This follow-up action will include Defra membership of a new Government working group to establish and develop nutritional standards for food procured by the NHS, armed forces and HM prisons. Defra will act as the group's link to the Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative, which is working with buyers to ensure that as much as possible of the £1.8 billion spent per annum on food supply and catering services for the public sector is sustainably produced.

EU Budget

Greg Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the United Kingdom contribution to the European Union budget for the period 2005 to 2008; what changes have occurred in this estimate since the Budget in March; what the reason is for these changes; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Balls: The Government's latest estimates of United Kingdom contributions to the EU budget are presented in table C11 of the budget (HC 968). Any revision to these forecasts will be included in the pre-Budget report later this year.

Gross Domestic Product

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what accumulated growth in gross domestic product has been in  (a) Wales,  (b) Scotland,  (c) London and the South East and  (d) the UK since the second quarter of 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls with the responsibility of the National Statistician, how has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 5 June 2006:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about accumulated growth in gross domestic product in Wales, Scotland, London and the South East, and the UK, since the second quarter of 1997 (74809). (74809)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) only compile annual estimates of regional Gross Value Added(1) (GVA) covering the countries and regions of the UK. These data are at current basic prices, and so the changes over time shown by these data include the effects of inflation as well as any increases in economic output.
	Estimates of annual growth in these regions for the years 1997 to 2004, based on data published by the ONS in December 2005, are shown in table A below.
	
		
			  Table A - Growth in headline( 2)  GVA at current basic prices by region, 1997 and 2004( 3) 
			  Region( 4)  Growth in GVA 1997 to 2004 (Percentage) 
			 Wales 38.0 
			 Scotland 35.1 
			 London and the South East 48.2 
			 UK 43.5 
			 (1 )Information presented here is gross value added (GVA) which is gross domestic product (GDP) less taxes (plus subsidies) on products. (2 )The headline regional GVA series for this publication have been calculated using a five-period moving average. (3 )2004 data is provisional. (4 )Wales and Scotland are NUTS (Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Statistics) regions, but the ONS does not recognise the combined region of London and the South East as a standard geography.

HM Revenue and Customs

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of staff reductions in HM Revenue and Customs on tax enforcement.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC are satisfied that significant improvements in productivity from:
	improvements in risk processes;
	re-designing audit and inspection processes;
	reforming HMRC's range of interventions; and
	developing better electronic tools for communicating with taxpayers will not only mitigate the impact of the staff reduction in tax enforcement but also result in an overall improvement in performance.

Missing Trader Intra-community Fraud

Edward Davey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how the revenue lost through  (a) VAT and  (b) missing trader intra-community fraud is measured;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of  (a) attempted and  (b) actual missing trader intra-community fraud in each year since 2000; and what the basis for such an estimate is.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC's latest estimates of attempted MTIC fraud, overall VAT losses, and the methodology for estimating the latter were published in 'Measuring Indirect Tax Losses—2005', which is available from the following website: www.hmrc.gov.uk/pbr2005/mitl2005.pdf.
	The methodology for estimating MTIC fraud was first published in 'Measuring Indirect Tax Fraud—2001'. This was updated in 'Measuring and Tackling Indirect Tax Losses—2004', which can be foundon the following website: http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageVAT_ShowContent&id=HMCE_PROD_011582&propertyType=document.

Public Spending

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the ratio of public spending to gross domestic product was in each of the UK regions in 2005-06.

Stephen Timms: Total identifiable public expenditure on services by country and region is set out in table 7.1of "Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2006"(Cm 6811). The latest outturn data available are for 2004-05 with data for spending plans provided for 2005-06.
	Gross value added (GVA), (which is the Government's preferred measures of economic output), for each region is available on the Office for National Statistics website (http://www.statistics.gov.uk/articles/economic_trends/ET627_Marais.pdf). The latest available data are for 2003-04.

Public Spending

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much  (a) public spending was undertaken and  (b) revenue was collected in (i) Wales, (ii) Scotland, (iii) London and the South East and (iv) the UK in 2005-06.

Stephen Timms: Total identifiable public expenditure on services by country and region is set out in table 7.1 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2006 (Cm. 6811). The latest outturn data available is for 2004-05 with data for spending plans provided for 2005-06.
	Current receipts at the UK level are set out in table C8 of the Budget 2006 report (HC 968). Receipts are not hypothecated to particular regions and comprehensive data on the regional distribution of tax receipts are not readily available.

Savings Incentives

Natascha Engel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to introduce tax incentives to encourage children under 18 years and born before September 2002 to save.

Edward Balls: The Government introduced the Child Trust Fund in April 2005. To show we understood the issue of older children the Government backdatedthe eligibility date to all children born on or after1 September 2002 to align with school years. It is important to recognise that to realise the full benefits of the Child Trust Fund for future generations we must draw a line somewhere.
	There already exists considerable scope for tax-relieved savings for children. All children have their own personal tax allowance and parents are taxed on income generated from contributions to their child's account only when those gifts produce more than £100 gross income per parent per year.
	In addition, the market offers a wide range of savings and investment accounts designed especially for children from a range of financial services providers.

Suicide Statistics

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 26 April 2006,  Official Report, columns 1177-78W, on suicide statistics, what the circumstances were of each case of death from injury to the ulnar artery; and what contributory factors led to the death in each case.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 5 June 2006:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking, pursuant of 26th April 2006, Official Report, column 1177-8W, on suicide statistics, what the circumstances were of each case of death from injury to the ulnar artery; and what contributory factors led to the death in each case. (73990)
	ONS does not release details of the circumstances of individual deaths, as this would compromise the National Statistics protocol on data access and confidentiality. However, ONS routinely publishes data by underlying cause and nature of injury. The table supplied in the previous answer were for all injuries occurring to the ulnar atery, of these 3 were suicides, 2 were accidents, and 1 had an underlying cause of injury of undetermined intent.
	 Background Note:
	The table below was supplied in answer to the question '...how many individuals have died as a consequence of their ulnar atery being severed in each year since 1997.'
	
		
			  Number of deaths from injury to the ulnar artery,( 1)  England and Wales, 1997 to 2004( 2) 
			   Number of deaths 
			 1997 0 
			 1998 1 
			 1999 0 
			 2000 0 
			 2001 2 
			 2002 1 
			 2003 1 
			 2004 1 
			 (1) The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision(ICD-9) code 903.3 for the years 1997 to 2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes S55.0 and S65.0for the years 2001 to 2004. (2) Figures are for deaths occurring in each calendar year.

Tax Credits

Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of tax credits on  (a) housing costs and  (b) basic food costs in areas of high deprivation; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government have not made any assessment of the impact of tax credits on housing or food costs at a local level, and is not aware of any evidence of such an effect.
	However, tax credits have raised the incomes of six million families containing 10 million children, increasing the income available for housing, food and other expenditure.
	As a result of the Government's reforms to the tax and benefit system since 1997, and the introduction of the national minimum wage, by October 2006, in real terms, families with children will be, on average, £1,500 a year better off, while those in the poorest fifth will be, on average, £3,400 per year better off.
	Recent research by Gregg, Waldfogel and Washbrook has shown that low income families have been able to spend significantly more on housing services, and on food, as a result of tax credits and other financial support.

VAT Registration Applications

David Gauke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints HM Revenue and Customs received about the time taken to process VAT registration applications between  (a) 1 March and19 May 2005 and  (b) 1 January and 28 February 2006.

Dawn Primarolo: Between 1 March and 19 May 2005, around 36 complaints were received by HMRC/Customs and Excise about the time taken to process VAT registration applications.
	Between 1 January and 28 February 2006, HMRC received around 101 complaints about the time taken to process VAT registration applications.

Voluntary Arrangements Service

Charles Hendry: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance HM Revenue and Customs gives to the Voluntary Arrangements Service with regard to rules for the acceptance of Independent Voluntary Arrangements; and what changes have been made to these rules in the last two years.

Dawn Primarolo: The criteria for acceptance of a voluntary arrangement are contained in leaflet CWL5 entitled "The Voluntary Arrangements Service - Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise — Working together for you" first published in 2001.
	The Voluntary Arrangements Service applies these criteria to proposals for all voluntary arrangements and will support a Voluntary Arrangement where:
	There is full and honest disclosure
	A fair and optimum offer is made to creditors
	Provision is made for payment of all future statutory liabilities on time
	There are no overriding reasons for rejection.
	A revised version of the leaflet is being produced to reflect the creation
	of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs which will be issued to Insolvency Practitioners in the summer. The acceptance criteria remain the same but a requirement has been added that all creditors who participate in the arrangement do so receiving equal treatment within their creditor groups.

Jobcentre Plus

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will ensure that all Jobcentre Plus staff, including those based in Plymouth, are aware of the provisions of SI 2002 No 2905 which affect hon. Members' ability to make representations on behalf of their constituents.

Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about ensuring that Jobcentre Plus staff, including those based in Plymouth, are aware of the provisions of SI 2002 No 2905 which affect Hon. Members' ability to make representations on behalf of their constituents. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	All staff in Jobcentre Plus are aware that they must use the Personal Information Policy Guide when dealing with requests for personal information relating to our customers or staff. This is the primary guidance within the Department for Work and Pensions in respect of dealing with personal customer information and when it may be passed to third parties. The Guide contains specific instructions for staff to follow when a request is received under The Data Protection (Processing of Sensitive Personal Data Elected Representatives) Order 2002:SI 2002 no 2905.
	I am sorry that your office has experienced some difficulty in obtaining information in respect of your constituents. To address this, Louise Ferris, Customer Service Manager, Plymouth Benefit Delivery Centre (Tel: 01752 - 272012), has agreed with your office that future requests should be sent to her for a response.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobcentre Plus

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on providing Jobcentre Plus services in each London Jobcentre Plus district in each of the last five financial years, broken down by  (a) head count related expenditure,  (b) non-head count related expenditure and  (c) capital expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 22 May 2006
	The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie.I have asked her to provide the information requested.
	 Letter from Leslie Strathie:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking how much his Department spent on providing Jobcentre Plus services in each London Jobcentre Plus district in each of the last five financial years, broken down by (a) head count related expenditure, (b) non-head count related expenditure and (c) capital expenditure. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The table below gives the details of expenditure by District for the last four years. Prior to 1 April 2002, Jobcentre Plus did not exist and therefore there are no corresponding figures available for the 2001/02 financial year.
	
		
			  £000 
			  District (costs include irrecoverable VAT)  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06( 1) 
			  Brent, Harrow and Hillingdon 
			  (a) Headcount related costs 14,884 18,390 17,211 14,753 
			  (b) Non-headcount related costs 8,351 4,816 7,812 7,601 
			  (c) Capital 25 351 0 0 
			  
			  Central London 
			  (a) Headcount related costs 32,538 21,445 22,033 19,084 
			  (b) Non-headcount related costs 17,489 14,337 18,606 15,094 
			  (c) Capital 0 30 1 0 
			  
			  City and East London 
			  (a) Headcount related costs 31,323 31,980 33,252 22,645 
			  (b) Non-headcount related costs 18,891 18,593 24,436 19,380 
			  (c) Capital 0 0 0 0 
			  
			  Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth 
			  (a) Headcount related costs 28,327 32,412 29,681 26,317 
			  (b) Non-headcount related costs 13,268 12,168 14,985 11,734 
			  (c) Capital 38 878 40 0 
			  
			  North London 
			  (a) Headcount related costs 21,067 22,820 22,822 20,601 
			  (b) Non-headcount related costs 8,136 9,816 14,481 11,012 
			  (c) Capital 0 14 0 0 
			  
			  North East London 
			  (a) Headcount related costs 21,246 23,935 23,201 16,288 
			  (b) Non-headcount related costs 9,352 8,169 11,197 8,386 
			  (c) Capital 0 0 0 0 
			  
			  South London 
			  (a) Headcount related costs 22,345 21,241 21,934 20,522 
			  (b) Non-headcount related costs 6,999 8,772 9,821 9,471 
			  (c) Capital 0 23 0 0 
			  
			  South East London 
			  (a) Headcount related costs 17,576 19,172 19,203 17,940 
			  (b) Non-headcount related costs 8,920 9,803 11,296 10,821 
			  (c) Capital 0 13 0 0 
			  
			  West London 
			  (a) Headcount related costs 17,403 17,034 16,813 16,097 
			  (b) Non-headcount related costs 8,675 11,754 14,476 13,341 
			  (c) Capital 64 1 0 0 
		
	
	Headcount related costs includes the costs of permanent salaries, casual and temporary staff, superannuation costs and overtime. Non Headcount related cost includes office costs, utilities, telephone costs and the cost of training programmese.g. New Deal.
	The capital figures exclude the cost of Jobcentre Plus Rollout (refurbishment and acquisitions) which is met from a centrally managed national programme budget.
	During the period since Jobcentre Plus was created London region has undergone major restructuring to move from one region covering London and South East to two regions. The number of districts in the region has also reduced from 30 to 9. This reorganisation makes comparison of expenditure between years difficult. The continued centralisation of benefit processing has reduced costs directly held in regions over the period.
	The 2005-06 figures have not been finalised and may be subject to change following the annual audit.

Arm's Length Management Organisations

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the impact on tenant  (a) rents and  (b) satisfaction with their accommodation of the transfer of housing stock to arm's length management organisations.

Yvette Cooper: Local authorities do not transfer their housing stock to arms length management organisations (ALMOs). The stock and the ALMO remain wholly owned by the local authorities. ALMOs are set up by local authorities to manage all or part of their housing stock.
	There is no direct impact on rents when an ALMO is set up as the power to set rents remains with the local authority. The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) issues rent setting guidance to all local authorities, whether or not they have an ALMO, on the rent restructuring rules. Rent restructuring will result in actual and assumed rents converging over time.
	DCLG as yet does not have sufficient definitive data covering ALMOs to assess the impact of ALMOs on tenant satisfaction.

Arm's Length Management Organisations

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding will be made available for the next round of transfers to arm's length management organisations.

Yvette Cooper: The ALMO (Arms Length Management Organisation) programme has received a budget of £3.7 billion under the two most recent spending reviews for the five years up to 2007-08.£3.3 billion of this has been allocated to existing ALMOs. Spend in 2007-08 by any ALMOs that apply for the next round, along with further allocations for continuing ALMOs, will be met from the remaining provision. Funding for ALMOs beyond 2007-08 will be considered in the context of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Council Tax

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of properties in each council tax collecting local authority area were recorded as being entitled to second home council tax relief in  (a) 1995,  (b) 2000,  (c) 2005 and  (d) 2006.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	A table detailing the information for 2005 has been made available in the Library of the House. The table gives, for each billing authority, both the number of second homes in the local authority area and the number of second homes as a proportion of the housing stock in the area. The data are from a snapshot taken in October 2005, as recorded on CTB1 forms submitted by each local authority.
	Data for 1995 and 2000 are not available on a robust consistent basis. The snapshot for 2006 is not yet available.

Departmental Legislation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will list those  (a) Acts and  (b) parts of Acts which received Royal Assent between 1976 and 2006 for which her Department has policy responsibility and which remain in force.

Angela Smith: There is no centrally held record of this information it could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Transition Costs

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the cost of re-organising her Department.

Angela Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Members for Brentwoodand Ongar (Mr. Pickles) and North Cornwall(Mr. Rogerson) on 17 May 2006,  Official Report, column 989W and to the hon. Member for Ryedale (Mr. Greenway) on 18 May 2006,  Official Report, column 990W.

Euro-preparation Group

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the local authorities' euro preparation group will next meet.

Edward Balls: I have been asked to reply
	The Euro Preparations Unit (EPU) in HM Treasury takes the lead in co-ordinating appropriate euro preparations across the economy. As part of its regular programme of activities with stakeholders, EPU intends to host a further meeting between local authorities and central Government officials in the autumn.

Home Inspector Training

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many of the candidates registered for home inspector training have no  (a) previous qualification and  (b) practical work experience related to property (i) surveying and(ii) construction.

Yvette Cooper: The latest figures provided by the assessment centres in May indicate that 60 per cent. of the candidates were chartered surveyors. We have no detailed breakdown of the remainder. All those qualifying as home inspectors will have reached the appropriate national standard irrespective of their experience or previous qualifications.

Housing

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she make a statement on the provision of affordable housing in Coventry South.

Yvette Cooper: It is not possible to provide separate figures for Coventry South.
	Allocations to provide new affordable housing are made from the national Affordable Housing Programme, on the recommendation of the Regional Housing Board, and through a local bidding process to the Housing Corporation.
	For 2004-06 the city of Coventry was allocated£7.4 million from the Housing Corporation to provide 174 units of affordable housing
	For 2006-08 just over £9 million has been allocated to fund 255 units, and this represents a 21 per cent. increase in funding from the Affordable Housing Programme to Coventry city council.
	During 2004-06 the city delivered 208 new affordable homes in Coventry, of which:
	95 were achieved through planning gain (section 106 agreements), providing 64 homes for rent and 31 for shared ownership
	An additional 57 homes for rent were provided through an acquisition and refurbishment programme
	During 2006-08 the city council expects to provide 320 new affordable homes in
	Coventry, of which:
	160 are expected to be achieved through planning gain (section 106 agreements); providing 80 for rent and 80 for shared ownership
	An additional 30 homes for rent are expected to be delivered through an acquisition and refurbishment programme

Planning (Chester)

Eric Illsley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment his Department has made of the capability of Chester city council adequately to address planning applications for developments with national environmental and employment implications

Angela Smith: I have been asked to reply.
	Local planning authorities such as Chester city council are responsible for day-to-day planningmatters in their administrative areas, including the determination of planning applications. Successive governments have taken the view that local authorities should be free to carry out their responsibilities with the minimum of interference from central Government since they are ultimately answerable to their electorate for discharging their duties.
	The First Secretary of State has no powers under statute to investigate the manner in which local authorities conduct their affairs.

Afghanistan

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries have funded alternative livelihoods programmes in Afghanistan; what funding each provided in  (a) 2004 and  (b) 2005; and what funding is forecast for 2006.

Hilary Benn: Alternative livelihoods help people in the transition from income from poppy to income from legal activities. Alternative livelihoods activities include assisting farmers to acquire assets and creating a favourable regulatory and institutional environment for non-poppy farming.
	According to the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) a total of US$490 million of international aid was committed towards Alternative Livelihoods in Afghanistan in the Afghan year 2005-06. There are no reliable collective figures for international aid prior to this date.
	The details for 2005-06 are as follows:
	
		
			   US$ million 
			 Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, managed by the World Bank, funded by 25 donors (including the UK) to Afghanistan 158 
			   
			 Additional funding for Alternative Livelihoods includes:  
			 USA 154 
			 UK 67 
			 European Commission 41 
			 Other (Japan, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Aga Khan Foundation) 70 
		
	
	Responsibility for collection of the data for 2006-07 has been transferred from UNODC to the Afghan Ministry of Counter Narcotics. A UK-funded consultant is supporting ministry staff to do this. The results are planned to be released at the end of June.

Grenada

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much humanitarian aid and financial assistance the UK has given to Grenada since 2001; and when he expects an assessment team to be sent to Grenada to determine whether further financial or humanitarian aid is necessary.

Gareth Thomas: Between the financial years 2000-01 and 2004-05, the UK has provided a total of £8.15 million of aid to Grenada. Of this total, £1.65 million was provided over the period as financial assistance, and £6.5 million was provided as emergency assistance following the impact of Hurricane Ivan on the country in September 2004.
	Following Hurricane Ivan in 2005, DFID committed a total of £325,000 to provide: consultancy support in the forestry sector; a chartered surveyor to assess the hurricane damage done to the Governor-General's compound and Parliament; and, with the US Agency for International Development—co-finance debt advisers to develop proposals for the restructuring of Grenada's debt. In addition, our share of the European Commission's humanitarian support and additional reconstruction funds following the impact of the hurricane was £1.18 million.
	Since Hurricane Ivan, we have remained closely engaged with the Government of Grenada, with regular visits to the island by DFID staff based in the Caribbean. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development, made clear in meetings with Prime Minister Keith Mitchell in 2005, that DFID recognised the Government's success at leading the reconstruction efforts, and the continuing challenges facing Grenada. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development, made a commitment to review the case for additional budget support to Grenada. We will keep the situation under close review and, in the absence of another disaster, make any future judgment based on input from the Government of Grenada, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the European Commission, and other development partners.

India

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the projects in India that are supported by his Department that are specifically aimed at Dalit peoples.

Gareth Thomas: DFID is committed to supporting the Government of India in its efforts to combat caste discrimination and social exclusion in all its forms. Dalits (also known as Scheduled Castes), like other minorities, have a right to be included in all the mainstream Government programmes that DFID supports. DFID does not support particular programmes aimed at minority communities but promotes social inclusion in all its programmes.
	India's constitution safeguards the rights of all its citizens and the Government of India's policies provide the necessary framework to tackle discrimination. The challenge is to implement these policies effectively and for this reason DFID is engaging with the Government of India and other development partners to help to implement their commitments.
	For example, in education, DFID supports India's National Programme for achieving universal primary education (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan—SSA). One of the objectives of this programme, which was launched in September 2004, was to narrow the gaps that existed between the enrolment of Scheduled Caste and other children.
	The recent mid term review of SSA indicates that the programme has been effective in increasing the enrolment of Scheduled Caste children into mainstream education. The proportion of Scheduled Caste children in the school population has increased from 19 per cent. in 2003 to 21.3 per cent. in 2005. This means that millions of Dalit children are now in schools alongside other children and the proportion of Dalit children in mainstream government schools now exceeds the proportion of Dalit children in the general population. This success has been achieved through a range of strategies that have helped to tackle discrimination at all levels.
	Special efforts are needed to ensure that Dalits are able to exercise their rights to access mainstream services. DFID is providing £75 million over five years to UNICEF in India to help reduce child mortality to tackle social exclusion in health and education services. Under this partnership, UNICEF has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Institute of Dalit Studies. This will increase understanding of how to tackle the constraints and barriers that Dalits face in accessing services.

Maldives

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with President Gayoom on the matter of political reform in the Maldives.

Kim Howells: I have been asked to reply.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had discussions with President Gayoom of the Maldives on political reform. Our new High Commissioner in Colombo, also accredited to the Maldives, presented his credentials to the President on 22 May. The High Commissioner subsequently met with Government Ministers, members of the Maldivian Democratic Party and others for discussions. Additionally, there have been a number of recent meetings between officials and Maldivian Ministers in London and Malé. All of these discussions included the subject of political reform. I also refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to him today (UIN 74794).

Nepal

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support the Government have provided to the UN Human Rights monitoring mission in Nepal.

Kim Howells: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK has provided substantial funding for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) operation in Nepal. This was the largest single project in the Global Conflict Prevention Pool's (GCPP) Nepal Strategy for 2005-06, from which we made a contribution of £610,000. We also provided a further £200,000 from the Global Opportunity Fund.
	Particularly since the King's take-over of power in February 2005, human rights has been a major area of focus of our policy, which is reflected in the projects we have funded.
	Using GCPP funds we have appointed a human rights adviser who works closely with OHCHR providing reports and analysis of human rights developments and recommendations to ensure due regard for human rights is mainstreamed into policy making in Nepal.

Broadband

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to expand the  (a) roll-out and  (b) take-up of broadband in rural areas.

Margaret Hodge: 99.8 per cent. of UK households can now access broadband. Broadband coverage in rural areas stands at 99.2 per cent. of households. Some households are, however, not able to receive broadband services, or only at very low speeds, due to local technicalities such as distance from a home to the local exchange or because of the poor quality of networks.
	The broadband market is dynamic, where research and competition is stimulating rapid developments and innovative solutions to technical problems. There is a range of private and public sector funded pilot projects emerging across the UK aiming to identify solutions to further improve access to broadband services.
	DTI and DEFRA produced a CD-ROM "A New Way to Live, Work and Play" last year. It contains hundreds of stories and examples of how people obtained and gained benefits from broadband. The CD-ROM was sent to parish councils, rural community councils, regional development agencies, devolved administrations, intermediary organisations and other interested parties. The material is also available via the DTI website. The Department also has regular contact with the regional development agencies and devolved administrations to discus future broadband developments and the impact of initiatives to promote its take-up.
	In addition, the DTI continues to explore broadband deployment in the UK and has initiated a debate and review of next generation access for broadband in the UK, through the Broadband Stakeholder Group, involving public and private sector stakeholders and including exploring technical solutions to the inhibitors of broadband access, such as line lengths.
	DTI is separately engaging organisations such as The Royal National Institute for the Deaf; Help the Aged, Royal National Institute for the Blind and organisations such as Citizens on-line and the Alliance for Digital Inclusion and other industry organisations to develop options for disadvantaged people to access ICT and broadband.
	"Connecting the UK: The Digital Strategy", launched in April 2005, is the Government's initial response to bridging the digital divide. It sets out a number of actions aimed at driving take up and use of ICT, particularly among typically excluded groups.
	DTI is working in partnership with other Government Departments to assist delivery of their programmes including the DfES's e-Strategy 'Harnessing Technology: Transforming learning and children's services'. DCLG's Digital Challenge, to which the DTI has committed £250,000 for the prize fund. Cabinet Office's Transformational Government.
	The DTI is also working with stakeholders to develop and promote the support services, which enable access for those without their own equipment, or necessary IT skills such as UK On-line Centres. The Department is active in a European context in supporting the European Commission's i2010 initiative, including supporting the recent Commission communication on Bridging the Broadband Gap, which aims to promote the use of existing measure and initiatives to further broadband access within the European Union.

Cold Calling

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to combat cold calling by telephone to British citizens by foreign companies; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Department introduced the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) scheme in 1999, under the Telecommunications (Data protection and Privacy) Regulations, which were updated by Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations in 2003. The TPS scheme provides protection to UK consumers from cold calling by foreign companies if the calls are made on behalf of the UK companies and the consumer has previously notified the caller that they do not wish to receive such calls or has been registered with the TPS for at least 28 days. Therefore, those making cold calls are legally required not to call a number that has registered on the TPS list. The Information Commissioner has responsibility for the enforcement of the TPS scheme and considers complaints about breaches. However, cold calls from non-UK companies marketing a service or product are not covered by the TPS scheme, as the companies and products have no link with the UK.

Company Closures

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for trade and Industry, how many firms in the UK have ceased trading in each year since 1997, broken down by region.

Margaret Hodge: Value added tax (VAT) de-registrations are the best official guide to the pattern of business closures. DTI data on VAT de-registrations in the UK from 1997 to 2004 are shown in the following table. For comparison, data on each year's VAT registrations and the ratio of de-registrations to registrations are also shown.
	
		
			  VAT de-registrations and registrations 1997-2004 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004 
			  North East 
			 de-reg 3,795 3,660 3,695 3,655 4,000 3,815 3,990 4,090 
			 reg 4,050 4,110 4,185 4,255 4,125 4,355 4,790 4,290 
			 ratio 0.94 0.89 0.88 0.86 0.97 0.88 0.83 0.95 
			  
			  North West 
			 de-reg 15,465 15,385 15,185 15,590 15,075 15,505 16,000 16,890 
			 reg 17,670 17,535 16,840 17,140 16,390 17,260 18,430 17,640 
			 ratio 0.88 0.88 0.90 0.91 0.92 0.90 0.87 0.96 
			  
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 
			 de-reg 10,610 10,260 10,535 10,760 10,870 11,115 11,195 12,230 
			 reg 11,860 11,805 11,705 11,990 11,660 12,355 13,670 12,835 
			 ratio 0.89 0.87 0.90 0.90 0.93 0.90 0.82 0.95 
			  
			  East Midlands 
			 de-reg 9,620 9,415 9,520 9,845 9,625 9,730 10,805 11,330 
			 reg 11,455 11,510 11,170 11,585 11,225 11,930 12,700 12,205 
			 ratio 0.84 0.82 0.85 0.85 0.86 0.82 0.85 0.93 
			  
			  West Midlands 
			 de-reg 12,070 11,945 12,310 12,155 12,370 12,565 14,365 14,975 
			 reg 14,530 14,675 14,370 14,535 14,070 14,530 15,640 14,855 
			 ratio 0.83 0.81 0.86 0.84 0.88 0.86 0.92 1.01 
			  
			  East 
			 de-reg 13,780 13,555 13,830 14,585 14,860 14,820 16,280 17,495 
			 reg 18,320 17,545 16,785 17,595 16,555 17,710 18,510 17,580 
			 ratio 0.75 0.77 0.82 0.83 0.90 0.84 0.88 1.00 
			  
			  London 
			 de-reg 25,455 27,220 28,065 30,100 30,115 31,240 32,435 35,925 
			 reg 35,890 37,770 36,340 36,405 33,260 33,045 35,905 35,460 
			 ratio 0.71 0.72 0.77 0.83 0.91 0.95 0.90 1.01 
			  
			  South East 
			 de-reg 22,030 21,005 22,485 23,785 23,345 24,425 26,875 28,245 
			 reg 30,110 29,690 28,710 28,770 27,200 28,540 30,470 28,360 
			 ratio 0.73 0.71 0.78 0.83 0.86 0.86 0.88 1.00 
			  
			  South West 
			 de-reg 12,660 12,545 12,960 13,535 12,745 13,205 14,455 14,970 
			 reg 15,840 15,600 15,285 15,340 14,350 15,445 16,380 15,310 
			 ratio 0.80 0.80 0.85 0.88 0.89 0.85 0.88 0.98 
			  
			  Wales 
			 de-reg 5,840 5,855 6,050 5,680 5,310 6,145 6,715 6,650 
			 reg 6,300 6,135 6,090 6,265 5,965 6,355 7,050 6,900 
			 ratio 0.93 0.95 0.99 0.91 0.89 0.97 0.95 0.96 
			  
			  Scotland 
			 de-reg 10,635 10,615 10,840 10,615 10,655 10,395 11,130 11,980 
			 reg 12,460 11,905 11,500 11,305 10,950 11,080 11,790 11,845 
			 ratio 0.85 0.89 0.94 0.94 0.97 0.94 0.94 1.01 
			  
			  Northern Ireland 
			 de-reg 2,840 2,785 3,035 3,000 2,910 2,685 3,395 4,595 
			 reg 3,920 3,710 3,635 3,410 3,495 3,540 3,770 4,140 
			 ratio 0.72 0.75 0.83 0.88 0.83 0.76 0.90 1.11 
			  
			  England and Wales 
			 de-reg 131,325 130,850 134,630 139,685 138,305 142,570 153,105 162,790 
			 reg 166,030 166,370 161,480 163,880 154,800 161,535 173,555 165,435 
			 ratio 0.79 0.79 0.83 0.85 0.89 0.88 0.88 0.98 
			  
			  United Kingdom 
			 de-reg 144,800 144,250 148,500 153,300 151,870 155,650 167,630 179,370 
			 reg 182,410 181,985 176,615 178,590 169,250 176,150 189,115 181,415 
			 ratio 0.79 0.79 0.84 0.86 0.90 0.88 0.89 0.99 
			  Source: Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1994-2004, Small Business Service, available at hitp;//www.sbs,gov.uk/vats 
		
	
	In England and Wales together and the UK as a whole, the stock of VAT registered businesses has increased each year since 1997, as registrations have exceeded de-registrations throughout this period.
	VAT registration and de-registration data do not capture all business activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if their turnover falls below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 4.3 million businesses (42 per cent.) were registered for VAT at the start of 2004.
	Barclays Bank provides estimates of the total number of business closures each quarter in England and Wales, based on closures of business bank accounts. Barclays estimate that there were 321,500 business closures in England and Wales in 2004. However, Barclays does not publish a regional breakdown of closures.

Computer Sciences Corporation

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what discussions  (a) he and  (b) his officials have had with (i) the Computer Sciences Corporation and (ii) trade unions on a support package for those affected by redundancies;
	(2)  what discussions  (a) he and  (b) his officials have had with the Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) on the implications of the announcement to cut 1,200 jobs for the agreement reached between CSC and Amicus in August 2005.

Margaret Hodge: There have been no discussions between Ministers or officials and either Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) or the trade unions in respect of a support package for those potentially affected by the announced redundancies. There have also been no discussions on implication of the announcement on the agreement CSC reached with Amicus in 2005.
	However, we do know that CSC notified the Insolvency Service of its intention to make some of its employees redundant, as all companies planning to lay-off 20 or more people from any one site are legally required to do under Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.
	Under the Employment Rights Act 1996, DTI is permitted to offer redundancy support packages for employees of companies that become insolvent. In this particular case CSC has not become insolvent and we are therefore not able to offer financial support to those affected. Support is offered to individuals through the Jobcentre Plus network to help those individuals return to work.
	I am also aware that CSC struck an agreement with Amicus, but the detail of this remains between the interested parties concerned.

Computer Sciences Corporation

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions  (a) he and  (b) his officials have had with the Computer Sciences Corporation on the implications of the announcement to cut 1,200 UK jobs for (i) the UK economy and(ii) trends in the outsourcing of UK jobs in the computing industry.

Margaret Hodge: There have been no recent discussions between Ministers or officials with Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC). Prior to the UK announcements, officials were in touch with the company headquarters concerning the implications of their global announcement, including possible effects in the UK.
	Clearly, I very much regret any job losses, and the impact this has on individuals and their families.
	However, recent data Labour Market Statistics data (May 2006) show that employment levels remain around record levels: with nearly 2.5 million more people in work then there were in 1979. The loss of jobs with the Computer Science Corporation need to be seen in the context, that every month there are approximately 200,000 people moving into, and out of, work.
	The Office for National Statistics does not record the number of jobs outsourced. However in ICT enabled jobs, which are among those more likely to be affected by outsourcing, employment has over the last four years grown by 8.8 per cent., nearly three times the national average of 3.2 per cent.
	Globalisation is changing the shape of skills requirements in the UK workforce. The Department is working with e-skills UK as the lead UK body in addressing these skills challenges. Ministers and officials have supported the work to improve professionalism in IT led by the British Computer Society and other UK bodies. These and other initiatives aim to improve the competitiveness of the UK's skills and as well as enhance the basis for lifelong learning and career development. The Department also continues to monitor information from the IT industry in the light of offshoring as an input to policy.

Consumer Protection

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the operation of the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000; and what recent representations he has received about the operation of the Regulations.

Ian McCartney: The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 implement European Council Directive (97/7/EC) to increase consumer protection throughout the EU and give consumers confidence when buying at a distance. Distance selling is where there is no face-to-face contact between the supplier and consumer such as by phone, mail order, via the internet or digital TV.
	It lays down basic requirements to suppliers of goods and services on the information to be given to consumers before and after they buy, including deadlines for the delivery of goods or performance of services and protection against credit card fraud. The Regulations provide a seven day "cooling off period" during which the consumer can withdraw from the contract, this gives consumers an opportunity to examine the goods. Consumers who exercise their right to cancel must be refunded all money paid within30 days.
	Following representations from stakeholders, the Regulations were amended on 6 April 2005, making changes to the requirements to provide information and to cancellation periods for the supply of services.
	Designated enforcers such as the Office of Fair Trading and Trading Standards Services have a duty to consider complaints about possible breaches of the Regulations. To ensure compliance enforcers may apply for a court injunction or accept undertakings from a supplier that they will comply.
	The European Commission has begun a review of eight consumer directives known as the Consumer  Acquis, which includes the Distance Selling Directive. The review of the  Acquis aims to simplify and improve these eight directives. The Commission will review each Directive looking at how successful they are at protecting consumers and enhancing the internal market across the EU. My Department has consulted and continues to consult UK business and consumer stakeholders as part of this process.

Digital Television (Yorkshire)

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people in  (a) Beverley and Holderness and  (b) Yorkshire and the Humber have switched to digital television; what percentage of the population this represents; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Ofcom collates and publishes information on the take-up of digital television as part of their "Communications Market: Nations and the Regions—English regions" report. Their latest report shows that by the end of 2005, 67 per cent. of all households in the Yorkshire and Humberside region had converted at least one television set in the house to digital TV via either satellite, cable or terrestrial. This is an increase of 10 per cent. since December 2004.
	It is not possible to extrapolate how many people in Beverly and Holderness have switched to digital TV.

Energy Policy

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library the evidence obtained from the public consultation run by his Department on energy policy from May 2002 to the publication of the Energy White Paper in March 2003, including the results of polling and focus group research.

Malcolm Wicks: A written statement by my right hon. Friend the right hon. Member for Leicester, West (Ms Hewitt) (the then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry), and a summary of the White Paper were placed in the Libraries of the House in February 2003. Supporting analysis for the 2003 White Paper is available on the DTI website at:
	www.dit.gov.uk/energy/policy-strategy/energy-white-paper/supporting-analysis/page21345.html

Environmental Technology Industries

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the potential for job creation from the environmental technology industries; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Government's manifesto says that we will work with the environmental goods and services sector to promote new green technologies and industries. We are working with the Environmental Innovations Advisory Group to enable greater innovation in the environmental industries sector. This includes work on procurement, technology support, state aids, finance and regulation. We also work with the regional development agencies and the devolved Administrations to estimate the size of the sector, and we published data in 2004 showing the sector already employed over 400,000 people.

EU Anti-dumping Legislation

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the European Commission on which additional sectors will be covered by future EU anti-dumping legislation.

Ian McCartney: The European Commission website (europa.eu.int/comm/trade/issues/respectrules/anti_dumping/stats.htm) lists the following current anti-dumping investigations. EU member states were consulted when each of these investigations was initiated. In cases marked with an asterisk (*) provisional anti-dumping measures have, after consultation with member states, been imposed by means of a Commission regulation. Member states will be consulted on all cases when the Commission has completed its investigation on a proposal either to terminate the investigation or to impose definitive anti-dumping measures by means of a Council regulation.
	
		
			  Current European Commission anti-dumping investigations 
			  Product name  Exporting country(ies) 
			 Cathode-ray colour picture tubes People's Republic of China, Korea, Malaysia and Thailand 
			 Recordable compact discs (CD-Rs) People's Republic of China, Hong Kong and Malaysia 
			 Recordable versatile digital disks (DVD+/-R) People's Republic of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan 
			 Footwear with a protective toecap People's Republic of China and India 
			 Ironing Boards People's Republic of China and Ukraine 
			 Pentaerythritol USA, People's Republic of China, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine 
			 Certain plastic sacks and bags People's Republic of China, Malaysia and Thailand 
			 Polyester staple fibres Malaysia and Thailand 
			 Saddles (bicycle) People's Republic of China 
			 Certain seamless pipes and tubes of iron or steel Croatia, Romania, Russia and Ukraine 
			 Silicon carbide Romania 
			 Strawberries (frozen) People's Republic of China 
			 Certain prepared or preserved sweet corn in kernels Thailand 
			 Side-by-side refrigerators Korea 
			 Chamois Leather* People's Republic of China 
			 Certain footwear with uppers of leather* People's Republic of China and Vietnam 
			 Lever arch mechanisms* People's Republic of China 
			 Refrigerators (side by side)* Korea 
			 Certain tungsten electrodes People's Republic of China

Franchising

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps  (a) to examine the contents of his Department's file originally referenced as FT851 and  (b) to re-examine his Department's view that the two master franchiser companies in the UK of a foreign-based franchise-trading scheme were both exempt from the provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1973 Part XI and its amendments, including the Trading Schemes Act 1996.

Ian McCartney: The matter has been reviewed and it remains the Department's view that it is possible for two identical but separate trading schemes, each with one master franchisor and a number of franchisees at the same level below that franchisor to operate in the UK in such a fashion as to be exempt from the provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1973 Part XI and its amendments, including the Trading Schemes Act 1996.

Illegal Internet Traffic

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidance his Department has issued to internet service providers on their responsibilities for illegal traffic hosted on their networks.

Margaret Hodge: The Department works closely with internet service providers, both in a number of initiatives to deal with disruptive internet traffic such as spam, and to combat illegal content such as child abuse images.
	In matters regarding internet content, the general law applies on-line as it does off- line. For example, the Obscene Publications Act 1959 applies to material published on the internet and the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 extended the laws on obscenity to cover material available on computer networks. Similarly laws relating to such subjects as sales of goods, copyright and libel, apply on-line as much as off-line.
	The Department provides guidance to industry, including ISPs, on its website regarding the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 (http://www.dti. gov.uk/sectors/ictpolicy/ecommsdirective/ecommosdirectiveguidance/page10142.html) which, under certain circumstances, exempt online service providers from liability for information they host until they are made aware of it, at which point they are required to act expeditiously to remove or disable access to it.

Israel/UK Trade

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has  (a) taken and  (b) plans to take to increase trade between Israel and the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) provides a range of support services to British companies wishing to trade with or invest in Israel, through commercial teams based in both the UK and the British embassy in Tel Aviv.
	UKTI support focuses, in particular, on business opportunities in high technology sectors, including Biotechnology, Healthcare, Aerospace, Information & Communication Technology, the Environmental Industries and Financial & Legal Services. Recent initiatives have included trade missions to Israel, inward missions by Israeli firms to trade fairs in the UK and promotional events aimed at encouraging
	Israeli companies to list in London.
	Further information on business with Israel is available on the UKTI Portal at www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many of the vibration white finger claims submitted by the 50 solicitors making the most claims on behalf of miners include a claim for services; and what percentage of the total claim was represented by services in each case.

Malcolm Wicks: The following table of the 50 solicitors who have submitted the most vibration white finger claims provides the number of claims for general damages and services submitted; the number settled by payment; the compensation paid for general damages and services; and, the proportion of total compensation represented by services and general damages.
	
		
			  Solicitor  Claims registered  Services claims registered  Settled by payment (gens and services)  Total damages (settled claims) (£) 
			 Thompsons Solicitors 21,050 11,605 4,169 74,333,218 
			 Browell Smith & Co 16,468 1,934 333 5,796,532 
			 Beresfords Solicitors 11,632 2,238 530 8,195,951 
			 Union of Democratic Mineworkers 11,545 3,200 1,634 23,150,459 
			 Raleys Solicitors 11,277 3,168 898 16,258,451 
			 Hugh James 10,637 2,825 794 14,882,433 
			 Graysons Solicitors 8,700 4,011 1,200 18,347,624 
			 Moss Solicitors 7,295 1,322 381 5,509,686 
			 Watson Burton 5,936 2,589 637 11,419,587 
			 Ashton Morton Slack Solicitors 5,382 459 56 928,979 
			 Towells Solicitors 5,346 1,472 636 11,409,042 
			 Kidd & Spoor Harper Solicitors 3,670 927 151 3,242,860 
			 Atteys 3,095 1,333 548 11,221,073 
			 O H Parsons & Partners Solicitors 2,702 333 49 745,673 
			 Corries 2,376 1,250 255 5,202,149 
			 Irwin Mitchell Solicitors-Sheffield 2,363 1,100 468 8,261,755 
			 Shaw & Co 2,263 1,224 355 7,519,165 
			 Saffmans Solicitors 2,233 478 165 3,353,502 
			 Capital Law 1,884 235 63 1,441,681 
			 Latham & Co Solicitors 1,842 1,067 418 6,897,197 
			 McLeish Carswell 1,628 106 48 1,072,298 
			 Oxley & Coward Solicitors 1,575 546 209 4,405,261 
			 Randell Lloyd Jenkins & Martin 1,515 542 93 1,476,855 
			 Mortons Solicitors 1,504 217 60 1,138,930 
			 T S Edwards & Son Solicitors 1,440 233 83 1,764,131 
			 Hickmotts Solicitors 1,363 43 9 141,821 
			 Morisons Solicitors 1,188 409 101 2,415,435 
			 Thompson & Co Solicitors 1,161 538 219 4,799,294 
			 Marrons 1,160 183 49 963,341 
			 German Hamilton Solicitors 1,113 635 213 4,235,819 
			 Hopkins 981 603 344 6,660,643 
			 Meloy Whittle Robinson 816 167 22 395,277 
			 Keeble Hawson Moorhouse 813 220 128 2,443,407 
			 The Legal Warehouse 796 309 178 1,817,887 
			 Furley Page 738 64 23 387,933 
			 Gabb & Co 630 243 34 812,878 
			 Endlars Solicitors 601 219 57 1,057,522 
			 Russell Young Solicitors 587 0 0 — 
			 Frank Allen Pennington Solicitors 513 218 64 1,131,401 
			 Gorvin Smith Fort 446 113 19 408,782 
			 Branton Bridge 396 34 8 87,572 
			 Mincoffs 367 187 78 1,773,901 
			 Ross Harper Solicitors 347 21 9 211,710 
			 Blackett Hart and Pratt Solicitors 338 196 61 1,219,824 
			 Wake Smith 334 62 22 400,423 
			 Holmes & Hills Solicitors 318 1 0 — 
			 Robinson King Solicitors 300 61 13 292,938 
			 Simpson Millar Solicitors 285 81 18 313,442 
			 McConville O'Neill 276 72 16 236,468 
			 Treanors Solicitors 271 79 32 803,960 
			 Total 161,496 49,172 15,950 280,986,172 
		
	
	
		
			  Solicitor  Services damages (£)  General damages (£)  Percentage services damages  Percentage general damages 
			 Thompsons Solicitors 36,885,625 37,447,594 50 50 
			 Browell Smith & Co 2,877,322 2,919,210 50 50 
			 Beresfords Solicitors 3,844,792 4,351,159 47 53 
			 Union of Democratic Mineworkers 10,266,304 12,884,154 44 56 
			 Raleys Solicitors 8,659,167 7,599,284 53 47 
			 Hugh James 7,623,440 7,258,994 51 49 
			 Graysons Solicitors 9,528,540 8,819,084 52 48 
			 Moss Solicitors 2,484,429 3,025,257 45 55 
			 Watson Burton 5,925,283 5,494,304 52 48 
			 Ashton Morton Slack Solicitors 461,019 467,960 50 50 
			 Towells Solicitors 5,652,285 5,756,757 50 50 
			 Kidd & Spoor Harper Solicitors 1,678,389 1,564,471 52 48 
			 Atteys 5,701,758 5,519,314 51 49 
			 O H Parsons & Partners Solicitors 349,624 396,049 47 53 
			 Corries 2,809,171 2,392,979 54 46 
			 Irwin Mitchell Solicitors-Sheffield 4,075,402 4,186,353 49 51 
			 Shaw & Co 3,549,870 3,969,295 47 53 
			 Saffmans Solicitors 1,689,997 1,663,505 50 50 
			 Capital Law 697,426 744,255 48 52 
			 Latham & Co Solicitors 3,212,640 3,684,557 47 53 
			 McLeish Carswell 522,399 549,899 49 51 
			 Oxley & Coward Solicitors 2,373,430 2,031,831 54 46 
			 Randell Lloyd Jenkins & Martin 666,171 810,684 45 55 
			 Mortons Solicitors 561,120 577,810 49 51 
			 T S Edwards & Son Solicitors 884,261 879,871 50 50 
			 Hickmotts Solicitors 70,030 71,792 49 51 
			 Morisons Solicitors 1,296,521 1,118,914 54 46 
			 Thompson & Co Solicitors 2,323,633 2,475,661 48 52 
			 Marrons 496,006 467,336 51 49 
			 German Hamilton Solicitors 2,049,870 2,185,949 48 52 
			 Hopkins 3,353,323 3,307,320 50 50 
			 Meloy Whittle Robinson 191,464 203,812 48 52 
			 Keeble Hawson Moorhouse 1,231,265 1,212,142 50 50 
			 The Legal Warehouse 811,987 1,005,900 45 55 
			 Furley Page 164,453 223,480 42 58 
			 Gabb & Co 422,823 390,055 52 48 
			 Endlars Solicitors 527,823 529,699 50 50 
			 Russell Young Solicitors — — 0 0 
			 Frank Allen Pennington Solicitors 596,134 535,266 53 47 
			 Gorvin Smith Fort 198,410 210,372 49 51 
			 Branton Bridge 37,611 49,962 43 57 
			 Mincoffs 810,020 963,881 46 54 
			 Ross Harper Solicitors 126,631 85,079 60 40 
			 Blackett Hart and Pratt Solicitors 569,363 650,461 47 53 
			 Wake Smith 176,763 223,660 44 56 
			 Holmes & Hills Solicitors — — 0 0 
			 Robinson King Solicitors 137,101 155,837 47 53 
			 Simpson Millar Solicitors 148,953 164,489 48 52 
			 McConville O'Neill 131,312 105,156 56 44 
			 Treanors Solicitors 408,174 395,786 51 49 
			 Total 139,259,535 141,726,638 50 50

Nuclear Safety

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research has been conducted by his Department into the threat posed to the stability of coastally-located licensed nuclear sites from  (a) coastal erosion and  (b) inundation due to sea level rise.

Malcolm Wicks: The DTI does not conduct research into the threat to coastally-located licensed sites from coastal erosion and inundation due to sea level rises.
	Operators such as British Nuclear Group and British Energy are responsible for flood defences and coastal erosion at nuclear sites. Nearly all of the sites are situated on the coast and rest behind sea defences, which are maintained to a very high standard. Reviews are made periodically to monitor long term protection, and regional shoreline management plans have been developed on behalf of the coastal authorities.

Pensioners (Internet Access)

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Trade and Industry what estimate his Department has made of the number of pensioners who  (a) have and  (b) do not have access to internet services in(i) England and (ii) Beverley and Holderness; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Department does not collect information of this nature. However, the Office of National Statistics provide statistics regarding internet access broken down by region and age group on its website (http://www.statistics.gov.uk/).

Personal Debt

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government are taking to reduce levels of personal debt; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 25 May 2006
	Personal debt has risen substantially over the last10 years, both in real terms and as a proportion of income. By the end of 2005 borrowing stood at approximately 1.3tn, or 151 per cent. of income. This compares to a real value of 530 billion in 1995, or75 per cent. of income.
	Despite these significant rises in the uptake of borrowing in the UK we do not believe that personal debt constitutes a major problem. The large majority of consumers continue to use credit in a productive and prudent way.
	However, the Government recognises that for a small but significant number of
	individuals debt causes serious problems. Current estimates suggest that the number of individuals experiencing such debt problems stands at around 5 per cent. of the adult population.
	In recognition of these problems we are doing much to help those with personal debt problems as outlined in the Government's 2004 Tackling Over-indebtedness: Action Plan and the subsequent 2005 Annual Report. DTI examples include the recently launched 45 million Face-to-Face Debt Advice Project, that will result in hundreds of new debt advisers, and the multi million pound support given to the National Debtline phone service.
	The DTI also recognizes that over-indebtedness is an issue that can only be resolved through the close co-operation of a number of different Government bodies, and actively supports programmes by other departments including major financial education policies currently being implemented by the FSA and Department of Education.
	Furthermore, the DTI is committed to the continued monitoring of the over- indebtedness picture in the UK and will report again in early 2007 on the extent of the problem.

Post Office

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what capital assets have been transferred from public ownership to private companies under the post office franchise arrangements.

Barry Gardiner: Transfers of capital assets are operational matters for Post Office Ltd and details are commercially confidential. However, I understand that the company's chief Operating Officer has written to the hon. Member about this and other matters he has raised about post office franchising arrangements, and that a meeting has also been arranged with him.

Private Copying Levy

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the merits of a private copying levy on blank recording media and devices; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: No assessment of the merits of private copying levies on blank recording media and devices has been made since the introduction of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act in 1988 in theUK. However, the European Commission has commissioned a study which will look at the whole body of copyright legislation in Europe and has indicated it will review levies in 2007. Currently, the Gowers Review of Intellectual Property is looking at the whole UK IP framework, and analysing a number of copyright issues, including private copying. The Review will report to Government in the autumn.

Royal Mail

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any of the operating profit made by the Royal Mail in the 2005-06 financial year will be returned to the Government.

Jim Fitzpatrick: None of Royal Mail's operating profit will be returned to Government.

Royal Mail

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the statement by Adam Crozier, chief executive of the Royal Mail, that he could meet the legal obligations for Post Office service provision with approximately 4,000 Post Office branches.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The minimum legal obligations for post office service provision are determined according to the universal service obligations set by the postal services regulator, Postcomm and are reflected in Royal Mail's licence. The Royal Mail chief executive's reference to a network of 4,000 post office branches reflects a hypothetical network geared solely towards fulfilling licence criteria for provision of mail services. However, the Government's track record shows that it has made a substantial investment in the post office network in recognition of the many more services it provides, for example access to cash and other Government services.

Sunday Trading

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he received on the Sunday Trading Act 1994 from  (a) retailers and  (b) others prior to 13 January.

Ian McCartney: On 14 November the then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced he was asking officials to carry out a full cost benefit analysis of the scope for further liberalisation of Sunday trading. This led to representations from a range of stakeholders, including retailers.

Sunday Trading

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State forTrade and Industry what research his Department has  (a) conducted and  (b) plans to conduct on the likely impact of proposed changes to the Sunday Trading Act 1994 on shops of under 3,000 square feet.

Ian McCartney: The DTI appointed Indepen Consulting Ltd. to produce an economic cost benefit analysis of easing the restrictions on Sunday shopping. We published Indepen's report on 5 May on the DTI website:
	www.dti.gov.uk/consumers/buying-selling/Sunday%20Shopping
	This includes analysis of the impact on small and large stores.
	From 13 January to 14 April we asked for views and evidence on all aspects of extending Sunday shop opening hours. We are currently analysing the large number of responses we received. We intend to publish a summary of the responses on the DTI website within three months of the close of this consultation. Ministers arid officials also met with a wide range of stakeholders, including representatives for small retailers, to discuss Sunday shopping.
	In addition, on 8 February the DTI held a focus group for small retailers specifically exploring the impact of liberalising Sunday shopping. We intend to publish a report of this event on our website shortly.
	Also, on 10 May the DTI held a stakeholder conference where Indepen presented their cost benefit analysis and participants were able to discuss the assumptions and findings. This was followed by optional forums on specific themes; one of the themes was the impact on the retail sector. We intend to publish a report of this event on our website shortly.
	Should we decide to proceed with the review of the current legislation restricting Sunday shopping hours, we will formally consult.

UK Trade Targets

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list his targets relevant to UK trade with  (a) India,  (b) China,  (c) the EU and  (d) the USA.

Ian McCartney: In 2004, DTI's Five Year Programme set the framework to create the right conditions for business success, including when trading with other nation states. The relevant targets to UK trade with the countries listed that underpin this are:
	1. PSA 3: To promote fair competitive markets by ensuring that the UK framework for competition and for consumer empowerment and support is at the level of the best by 2008, measuring the effectiveness of the regime through international comparisons, supported by a broader evidence base.
	2. PSA 5: To ensure that the EU secures significant reductions in EU and world trade barriers by 2008 leading to improved opportunities for developing countries and a more competitive Europe. Joint with the Department for International Development (DfID).
	3. PSA 8: To deliver by 2008 a measurable improvement inthe business performance of UK Trade and Investment's international trade customers, with an emphasis on new to export firms; and maintain the UK as the prime location in the EU for foreign direct investment. Joint with the FCO.

Bullying/Harassment

David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2006,  Official Report, column 43W, on harassment, what assessment she has made of the reasons for the change in  (a) the number of complaints of bullying in the last year and  (b) the percentage of complaints of bullying that have been upheld in the last year; what anti-bullying measures were in place in each of the last three years; and what new anti-bullying measures have been introduced following the increase in the number of upheld complaints of bullying in the last year.

Harriet Harman: The information is as follows:
	 (a) In the last year 21 complaints of bullying were made.
	 (b) The percentage of those complaints that were upheld was 61 per cent.
	 (c) Over the last three years the Department for Constitutional Affairs has taken the following anti-bullying measures:
	In 2002 the Department for Constitutional Affairs trained all staff in raising awareness of equality and diversity issues.
	In 2003 the Department for Constitutional Affairs introduced a policy of zero tolerance of certain sorts of unacceptable behaviour, including bullying and all forms of discriminatory behaviour.
	In 2004 Workplace Mediation was introduced across the Department. This offers an informal way to resolve disputes between people who work together, with the assistance of trained mediators.

Coroners' Inquests

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 3 May 2006, Official Report, column 1667W, on inquests, how many inquests in Oxfordshire are open; and how many of these were opened in each month from January 2000 to date.

Harriet Harman: This information is not collected centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost.

Electoral Registration

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what checks local electoral registration departments are required to make of individuals'  (a) nationality and  (b) eligibility to vote when they receive applications to go on the electoral roll from foreign nationals residing in the UK.

Bridget Prentice: Entitlement to vote in elections in the UK is based in large part on nationality but is not restricted only to those holding British citizenship. In recent years the addition of a nationality box in the registration form provides an opportunity for electoral registration officers (EROs), who would otherwise have no reason to know, to determine an individuals eligibility for inclusion on the basis of their stated nationality. Electoral registers are available for public inspection and anyone who believes that an ineligible person has been included may object and notify the ERO who may then make further inquiries as tothe eligibility of that individual. The Electoral Administration Bill, currently under consideration, strengthens the objection process and creates a new offence of supplying false information of any kind to an ERO, or failing to supply information, in connection with registration.

Postal Voting

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the number of postal votes that did not arrive at the home of the elector in each set of local elections in England since 2000;
	(2)  how many postal votes in each set of local elections in England since 2000 were cast fraudulently.

Bridget Prentice: The Government do not old this information.
	Estimating the number of postal votes that did not arrive at electors' addresses would require every elector with an undelivered postal vote to report this to their local authority, who would in turn have to report a figure to central Government. Estimating how many postal votes were cast fraudulently would require a full knowledge of the nature of every postal vote cast at an election, whether fraudulently or not.
	The Government takes election fraud seriously, and encourages anyone who did not receive their postal vote to report this to their local authority, and if they believe that a postal vote has been cast fraudulently they should report this to the police.

Separating Couples

Mark Oaten: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make early intervention and mediation mandatory for separating couples; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: The Government believe that family mediation has significant advantages in resolving disputes, particularly in relation to children. The Government are taking forward a number of measures to give the strongest possible encouragement to mediation as an alternative to contested court proceedings. However, for mediation to be successful both parties have to enter into it freely and without constraint, and therefore the Government do not believe mediation should be made compulsory.
	Under the provisions of the Children and Adoption Bill the courts will be able to direct people in disputes over contact with children to attend contact activities, which will provide a range of interventions including programmes, counselling and classes to facilitate contact and also meetings to receive information about mediation. The court will be able to direct people tothe most appropriate intervention for the dispute concerned.

Special Advisers

David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much has been paid in  (a) salary,  (b) travelling expenses,  (c) subsistence allowances and  (d) removal expenses to special advisers in her private office in each of the last five years.

Bridget Prentice: Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and overall cost of special advisers and the number in each payband. For information relating to the last financial year I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, on 21 July 2005,  Official Report, columns 158-61WS. Information on special advisers for this financial year is currently being collected and will be published in the normal way when it is ready.
	All official travel by special advisers is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.
	Travel and subsistence claims by special advisers are extremely rare. During 2005-06, one travel claim of 13 was made by a Special Adviser in respect of a taxi journey. Examining previous financial records for any similar claims would have to be done manually and this would incur disproportionate costs.
	The Department for Constitutional Affairs has not paid any removal expenses to Special Advisers.

Advisers/Officials

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many  (a) special advisers and  (b) full-time equivalent officials will be working for him; and what their tasks will be.

John Prescott: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Members for Reading, East (Mr. Wilson) and South Swindon (Anne Snelgrove) in the House on 17 May 2006,  Official Report, columns 979-980.
	As a Cabinet Minister, and in accordance with the terms of the Ministerial Code, I have two special advisers to assist me in the discharge of my official duties.

Dorneywood

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the guests he has entertained at Dorneywood since 1 January 2005.

John Prescott: This information is not collected centrally.

Dorneywood

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whom he last entertained officially at Dorneywood; and on what date.

John Prescott: This information is not collected centrally.

Ministerial Offices

Oliver Heald: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the Answer to the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) of 22 May 2006,  Official Report, column 1385W, on ministerial office/staff, in which Government building his private office is based while administrative support arrangements are being finalised.

John Prescott: My private office is based in an office at 26 Whitehall, as it has been since September 2002.

Ministerial Responsibilities

Mark Harper: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what official duties he carried out in 2006 in furtherance of his role to promote the interest of the North across Government; and whether he has retained this responsibility within Government since 4 May.

John Prescott: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister set out details of my new role and responsibilities in his answer of 17 May 2006,  Official Report, column 985W. It is a wide-ranging brief, focusing on improving the effectiveness of policy development across Government and carrying out international duties on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. As part of this cross-cutting brief, I shall continue to champion the interests of the North in all aspects of the Government's work.
	So far this year, I have visited a number of towns and cities in the North of England, to see for myself the progress that has been made since 1997 in regenerating our cities and making them places where people want to live and work. I am also very proud of the advances being made in growing the North's economy, improving its local environments and providing affordable and decent housing, for example through the initiatives such as Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders and the Northern Way, which have demonstrated how the public, private and voluntary sectors can work together towards a common vision for creating sustainable communities. For instance, I continue to follow with interest the pilot projects being taken forward by the Northern Way, with funds from the 100 million Northern Way Growth Fund, to demonstrate how things can be done differently inthe North to improve people's lives. And how the1.2 billion Housing Market Renewal Fund continues to turn around neighbourhoods which people were previously leaving, but where house prices have now doubled.
	The Government and our partners have achieved a lot, but we are aware of the need to deliver even more, and to ensure we narrow the economic gap between north and south. We need to work across Government Departments to maximise the benefits of our policies. My new role will enable me to ensure that Cabinet committees work even more effectively to deliver more integrated solutions across the full range of Government programmes and spending.

Adult Education

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the potential effects of his skills strategy on adult education in Liverpool.

Phil Hope: The Government's Skills Strategy is aimed at supporting low skilled adults to acquire basic skills and progress to level 2 and above, and ensuring employers have the skills they need to compete effectively. The strategy is vital to our continued economic success, and is supported by a funding strategy which gives clear priority to these areas.
	Funding for colleges and other providers in Liverpool will be confirmed shortly, and will reflect these priorities for the funding of adult learning, as well as safeguarding funding for Personal and Community Development Learning. The Learning and Skills Council will continue to work closely with local colleges and other providers to review local provision, and to ensure that there continues to be a wide range of choice for learners in all areas.

Alcohol/Drugs

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps are being takento educate young people on the adverse effects of (a) alcohol and  (b) drugs.

Jim Knight: All maintained schools must provide drug education, including information about alcohol, as part of the National Curriculum. We recommend that schools deliver drug and alcohol education through the non-statutory framework for Personal Social Health Education (PSHE).
	Since 2003, we have supported over 5,000 teachers in the PSHE certificate for teachers which supports standards in the teaching of drug and alcohol education. Over 2,000 teachers will be supported in 2006-07. We have also issued comprehensive guidance to schools on drugs including alcohol to help schools deliver more effective drug and alcohol education.
	Together with the Home Office and Department for Health, DfES is supporting the FRANK campaign which provides information, support and advice for young people on drugs and alcohol.

Asiatic Languages

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Education and Skills pursuant to his Answer of17 May 2006,  Official Report, columns 967-8W, on Asiatic languages, how many students have been awarded  (a) GCSE and  (b) A-level examination grades A to C in (i) Chinese, (ii) Arabic and (iii) Japanese since 1994.

Jim Knight: The information requested can be found as follows:
	
		
			  (a) GCSE Full Course attempts and achievements of 15 year old pupils( 1) , 1994-2005( 2) 
			   Number of entries  Number achieving A*-C  Percentage achieving A*-C 
			  Chinese
			 2005 822 768 93.4 
			 2004 1,748 1,651 94.5 
			 2003 1,686 1,623 96.3 
			 2002 1,443 1,384 95.9 
			 2001 1,348 1,289 95.6 
			 2000 1,190 1,142 96.0 
			 1999 1,193 1,124 94.2 
			 1998 1,257 1,198 95.3 
			 1997 1,204 1,118 92.9 
			 1996 1,135 1,042 91.8 
			 1995 1,093 1,002 91.7 
			 1994 925 861 93.1 
			 
			  Arabic
			 2005 1,072 806 75.2 
			 2004 1,215 886 72.9 
			 2003 1,297 958 73.9 
			 2002 1,078 812 75.3 
			 2001 977 742 75.9 
			 2000 855 657 76.8 
			 1999 755 573 75.9 
			 1998 645 493 76.4 
			 1997 641 471 73.5 
			 1996 517 387 74.9 
			 1995 434 331 76.3 
			 1994 437 323 73.9 
			 
			  Japanese
			 2005 622 462 74.3 
			 2004 648 565 87.2 
			 2003 557 522 93.7 
			 2002 512 472 92.2 
			 2001 485 444 91.5 
			 2000 423 404 95.5 
			 1999 336 316 94.0 
			 1998 246 234 95.1 
			 1997 278 254 91.4 
			 1996 283 247 87.3 
			 1995 259 238 91.9 
			 1994 199 159 79.9 
			 (1) Age at start of academic year i.e. 31 August.(2) Includes attempts and achievement by these pupils in previous academic years. 
		
	
	
		
			  (b) GCE A level attempts and achievements of 16-18 year old students( 1) , 1994-2005 
			   Number of entries  Number achieving A - C  Percentage achieving A - C 
			 Chinese
			 2005 1,607 1,516 94.3 
			 2004 1,677 1,586 94.6 
			 2003 1,496 1,420 94.9 
			 2002 1,400 1,311 93.6 
			 2001 1,102 1,017 92.3 
			 2000 1,185 833 70.3 
			 1999 1,122 791 70.5 
			 1998 1,017 754 74.1 
			 1997 826 581 70.3 
			 1996 920 658 71.5 
			 1995 693 501 72.3 
			 1994 624 464 74.4 
			 
			 Arabic(2)
			 2005 259 225 86.9 
			 2004 218 186 85.3 
			 2003 181 159 87.8 
			 2002 188 160 85.1 
			 2001 167 112 67.1 
			 
			  Japanese
			 2005 199 210 94.8 
			 2004 184 203 90.6 
			 2003 214 232 92.2 
			 2002 179 201 89.1 
			 2001 176 183 96.2 
			 2000 204 273 74.7 
			 1999 227 279 81.4 
			 1998 236 317 74.4 
			 1997 229 282 81.2 
			 1996 198 277 71.5 
			 1995 229 282 81.2 
			 1994 170 245 69.4 
			 (1) Age at start of academic year i.e. 31st August.(2) Please note that data on Arabic is not available prior to 2001.

Children's Homes

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children's homes have  (a) closed and  (b) been de-registered by the Commission for Social Care Inspection in each of the last three years.

Parmjit Dhanda: I understand from the Chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection that the number of children's homes de-registered for the last three years is as shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Inspection Year (1 April to31 March)  Children's homes de-registered 
			 2003-04 203 
			 2004-05 220 
			 2005-06 284 
		
	
	De-registrations occur for a number of reasons, including: the voluntary closure of a home; enforced closure resulting from regulatory action; change of ownership; and, change in the category of service provided. However, as details relating to the reason for de-registration are not recorded, the information requested on closures cannot be provided.

Departmental Bills (Amendments)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the occasions when an amendment has been moved by  (a) a Labour backbencher,  (b) an Opposition backbencher and  (c) an Opposition front bench spokesman to a Bill sponsored by his Department that has been accepted by his Department during the current session; and if he will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department for Education and Skills has sponsored the following Bills during the current session: the Children and Adoption Bill, the Childcare Bill, the Education and Inspections Bill, and the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill.
	Information on amendments moved and accepted during the Committee and Report Stage on these Bills are published in the  Official Report.

Educational Funding

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he expects schools in Nottinghamshire to receive funding from the Building Better Schools for the Future programme.

Jim Knight: In February 2005, we informed Nottinghamshire that it has been allocated five Building Schools for the Future projects. The programme was prioritised on the educational and social needs of geographically coherent groupings of schools proposed by authorities. The following table gives details of when each of Nottinghamshire's groupings is currently expected to be invited to join the national programme. This timetable is subject to future public spending decisions.
	
		
			  BSF Tranche  Area  Estimated year 
			 B Rural Coalfields-phase 1 2006-07 to 2008-09 
			 C Ashfield North Broxtone 2009-10 to 2011-12 
			 D Rural Coalfields-phase 2 2012-13 to 2014-15 
			 E South Nottinghamshire-phase 1 2015-16 to 2017-18 
			 E South Nottinghamshire-phase 2 2015-16 to 2017-18

Green Corns

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received about the children's home operator Green Corns.

Parmjit Dhanda: My predecessor met with six Members of Parliament from the West Midlands in June 2005 to discuss concerns raised by their constituents about specific proposals by Green Corns to develop children's homes in the West Midlands. In April 2006, my predecessor was contacted by Rob Marris MP and the Black Country Action Group about the issues raised by the development of children's homes, by providers such as Green Corns, and how these would be considered as part of the review of the Children's Homes National Minimum Standards.

Northern Way

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what role his Department plays in the delivery of the Northern Way initiative.

Phil Hope: The Department welcomes the priority attached to skills in the Northern Way's Business Plan. We are committed to working with the Northern Way partners to ensure each of the Regional Economic Strategies for Yorkshire and Humber, the North West and North East are mutually reinforcing and maximise the opportunities offered by cross-regional working.
	The Northern Way is a pan-regional growth strategy being taken forward by the three northern Regional Development Agencies and their partners. Its work has potential to play an important role in delivering Government's Regional Economic Performance PSA. The Department for Communities and Local Government co-ordinates Government involvement with the Northern Way. The Department for Education and Skills works with the Northern Way where its activities relate to our responsibilities.

Out-of-classroom education

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the barriers to out of classroom education; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the effects of educational field courses on the academic performance of pupils.

Jim Knight: Over the past few years the Department has both commissioned and jointly funded external studies to examine the benefits and potential barriers to out of classroom learning. We have commissioned a survey of schools and local authorities to assess the extent of education outside the classroom, gather their views on the benefits and look at some of the barriers. The results will be published in the autumn.
	The Department has recently supported an Ofsted survey to be published in the autumn of effective fieldwork practice in schools and how this supports pupils' motivation and learning in geography. As part of the emerging Education Outside the Classroom Manifesto, 10 working groups of leading organisations from different out of classroom learning sectors (including field studies) submitted reports to the Department on the benefits of out-of-classroom learning, barriers to participation and practical recommendations to remove those barriers.

Personalised Learning

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to encourage the take-up of  (a) high speed mobile technology and  (b) other wireless technology in the education system to enhance personalised learning for students; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The Department encourages the appropriate use of a range of technologies including high-speed mobile and wireless, to enable improvements in personalised learning, teaching and institutional management.
	First, within an institution, current guidance recommends the provision of wireless access for learners to complement wired technologies.
	Second, to support access to resources from outside the institution, Becta (British Educational Communications and Technology Agency) will this year carry out an investigation into the potential future use of WiMAX technologies, as well as continuing discussions with mobile operators about the use of future generation wireless telecommunications technologies.
	Other examples of work under way to explore the impact of mobile and wireless technologies include:
	a pilot of an ultra-mobile personal computer (UMPC) with schools in Nottingham and Southwell
	work with Traveller children in Leicestershire to enable pupils to access their work and keep in touch using laptops and GPRS connectivity
	use of mobile units (equipped with laptops and GPRS) in the East Midlands to deliver courses in locations without internet connections e.g. church halls
	use of mobile telephony in Essex to support the curriculum
	a pilot in Babington Community College in Leicester to test the potential of using wireless technology with a group of students and their families in a deprived area
	the Learning2Go project in Wolverhampton, involving provision of hand held devices to 1,100 students and their teachers across a range of institutions.

Physical Education (North Somerset)

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of schoolchildren in North Somerset meet the Government's target of two hours physical education each week in schools.

Jim Knight: Data from the 2004/05 survey of schools in school sport partnerships found that 75 per cent. of five to 16-year-olds in North Somerset took part in at least two hours high quality PE and school sport each week. This means that schools in North Somerset have reached the Government's PSA target a year early.

University Placements (Medicine)

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students with four A grade A Levels were refused places to study  (a) medicine,  (b) dentistry and  (c) veterinary science in 2005; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The information requested is not held centrally. Admissions policies and practices are entirely the responsibility of the higher education institutions. The Government have no remit over admissions although they do have a legitimate interest in ensuring that admissions are fair and command the confidence of prospective students, parents and teachers.

Army Parachute Association

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what security measures are taken when  (a) civilians join the Army Parachute Association (APA) and  (b) civilian members of the APA use military airfields.

Tom Watson: The Ministry of Defence does not undertake any security measures/vetting procedures in relation to civilians joining the Army Parachute Association (APA) as it is a private club and it would be inappropriate for us to do so.
	When civilian members of the APA use military airfields they undergo security procedures similar to those which apply to any visitors entering any Ministry of Defence Establishment. This includes booking in at the establishment's Guard House, and producing proof of identity and membership of the APA.

Atomic Weapons Establishment

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on the Atomic Weapons Establishment's Core Punch Facility at Aldermaston in each of the last 20 years.

Des Browne: Core punch diagnostics was established at Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) in the early 1980s. Annual maintenance costs are in the order of1 million.

Departmental Estate

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what land in Oxfordshire his Department has  (a) owned,  (b) leased,  (c) rented and  (d) otherwise had (i) use of and (ii) access to at any point since1 January 2003.

Tom Watson: The Ministry of Defence has owned, leased, rented or otherwise used, numerous separate areas of land and buildings in Oxfordshire since January 2003. Full details are not held centrally and to provide them, in the format requested, would incur disproportionate costs.
	However the information that is available has been placed in the Library of the House.

Iraq

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his oral Answer of 22 May 2006,  Official Report, column 1183, on Iraq, what assessment he has made of the potential for partition of Iraq as a direction of travel to achieve permanent peace and stability should the present levels of violence continue or worsen into the long-term.

Des Browne: The Ministry of Defence is engaged in Iraq in support of the wider UK Government's objective of ensuring a stable, united and federal Iraq, providing effective, representative and inclusive Government for all its people. The UK Government's policy reflects our support of the current Iraqi Constitution.

Low-flying Aircraft

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flights in each tactical training area in the UK, excluding the central Wales tactical training area flew at between 250 and 100 feet between 1993 and 2005.

Tom Watson: The statistics for the amount of military low flying that takes place in the tactical training areas in the UK is held in hours rather than by number of flights. The information is only available from the 1999-2000 training year as previously the data was compiled in a different manner. The figures for the training year 2005-06 are given in the table and will be published in the next statement on the pattern of military low flying that will be available in the House in summer 2006.
	The information following reflects the actual amount of operational low flying carried out between 100 and 250 feet within 14T and 20T, the tactical training areas in northern Scotland and southern Scotland/Anglo-Scottish border area. These statistics are consistent with the information provided annually in the statement on the pattern of military low flying.
	
		
			   LFA14T  LFA20T 
			  Training year  Hours  Minutes  Hours  Minutes 
			 1999-2000 254 59 280 59 
			 2000-01 179 36 205 28 
			 2001-02 236 16 297 33 
			 2002-03 161 45 188 18 
			 2003-04 197 40 278 11 
			 2004-05 138 7 209 8 
			 2005-06 161 48 202 53

Nepal

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy that no further support will be provided to the army of Nepal until arrangements have been put in place to ensure democratic accountability.

Adam Ingram: The new Government in Nepal has already made significant steps towards achieving democratic accountability over its defence and security forces. On 18 May 2006 the Nepalese House of Representatives unanimously passed an historic declaration which announced itself as the sovereign body of the country, and renamed His Majesty's Government of Nepal as Government of Nepal and the Royal Nepal Army as the Nepal Army. The King is no longer the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Army and the Nepalese Army are now subordinated to democratic control. HMG's goal in Nepal remains to help the country emerge from the current conflict with a sustainable peace, based on the principles of a civilian, accountable and democratic Government, as the necessary foundation on which to build a viable economy and climate for recovery and reform. Although much remains to be done, this can best be achieved through engagement by the international community with the new democratic Government and with the new Nepal Army to help it adjust to the new accountability. Our current support to the Nepalese Army includes help towards the development of democratic control of the military, human rights training and explosive ordinance disposal training (in support of their post-conflict role).

Nuclear Accident Exercises

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what basis Z Berth nuclear accident exercises do not rehearse arrangements for a worst case scenario (category B6) within a 40 kilometre diameter affected area; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Rehearsals of Z Berth nuclear accident response plans are undertaken in accordance withthe requirements of the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001. They are designed to test the detailed emergency plans for responding to a reasonably foreseeable radiation emergency. Any questions relating to the requirement to rehearse arrangements for events that are not reasonably foreseeable should be referred to the Health and Safety Executive, Nuclear Installations Inspectorate.

RAF (Northern Ireland)

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the RAF's future requirement for  (a) accommodation and  (b) land in Northern Ireland.

Tom Watson: I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, written ministerial statement of 10 May 2006,  Official Report, columns 19-21WS, about the future requirement for defence estates in Northern Ireland which included the military site at Aldergrove.
	Work leading up to this announcement took into account the overall need for accommodation and land which was one of the factors in the retention of the RAF Station at Aldergrove as the base for the Joint Helicopter Force (Northern Ireland).

Recruitment

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Army has reduced its recruiting targets.

Tom Watson: Recruiting targets for the Army fluctuate in accordance with the Army's staffing planning assumptions for inflow and outflow of soldiers to trained strength across the Army. Target for enlistments in the current financial year and previous two years are as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Enlistment target 
			 2004-05 11,580 
			 2005-06 12,680 
			 2006-07 12,610 
			  Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.

Animal Testing

Ann Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent research he has assessed on animal testing and carcinogenicity.

Joan Ryan: Since humans can be exposed to low levels of chemicals in their diet, or in their environment, over a significant proportion of their lifespan, studies to evaluate lifetime exposure are conducted in animals to ascertain the potential for the chemical to cause cancer. The objective of carcinogenicity studies is to identify the potential of test materials to cause tumours in animals and to assess the relevant risk in humans. Carcinogenicity studies are time consuming and resource intensive and are only performed when potential or actual human exposure warrants the need for this information to be generated. Our implementation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 ensures that this is the case, and that the studies that are undertaken avoid unnecessary animal use, do not cause unnecessary suffering, and provide data of a sufficiently high quality to inform risk assessments and regulatory decisions.
	We make every effort to keep abreast of developments in this and other areas relevant to the use of animals under the 1986 Act. For example, issues relating to the use of animals for carcinogenicity studies fall within the broader remit of the Inter-departmental Group on the 3Rs, which the Home Office leads and membership of which includes relevant United Kingdom regulators. We are informed of work on validation within Europe through the United Kingdom representative to the Scientific Advisory Committee to the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM). In addition, our professional inspectorate maintains awareness of developments taking place within United Kingdom research laboratories, and of relevant publications.
	In this latter context, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have recently published a report entitled Creative Accounting looking at carcinogenicity studies. We have referred the technical issues contained in the PETA report to the Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COC) for scientific evaluation. We will consider any issues relevant to the implementation of the 1986 Act when we have received the Committee's advice.

Antisocial Behaviour

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued to 10 to 17-year-olds since 1999 broken down by  (a) age and  (b) local authority area; how many have been breached in each case; and in what percentage of cases where a breach occurred a parenting order (i) had been and (ii) had not been applied;
	(2)  in how many antisocial behaviour orders issued to 10 to 17-year-olds since 1999  (a) a parenting order has also been applied and  (b) no parenting order has been applied;
	(3)  how many custodial sentences have been imposed on 10 to 17-year-olds for breaching conditions of an antisocial behaviour order since 1999;
	(4)  how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued to 10 to 17-year-olds since 1999, broken down by  (a) local authority and  (b) offence;
	(5)  what the maximum length of time is for which the terms of an antisocial behaviour order can apply to a child under 18 years;
	(6)  how many under 18-year-olds have a criminal record as a result of breaches of the terms of an antisocial behaviour order.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 18 May 2006
	From commencement, 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000, Antisocial Behaviour Order (ASBO) data were collected on aggregate numbers only by police force area. Tables A-H give the number of ASBOs issued to 10 to17-year-olds at all courts, as notified to the Home Office, from 1 June 2000 to 30 September 2005 (latest available), by individual age and the local authority area in which prohibitions have been imposed. Data collated centrally for statistical purposes does not identify the type of antisocial behaviour that led to the issuing of an ASBO.
	ASBO breach data only cover breach proceedings where there has been a conviction. These data are available at criminal justice system area level onlyand are currently available from 1 June 2000 to31 December 2003 for ASBOs issued since 1 June 2000. During this period, of the 392 persons aged 10 to 17 convicted for breaching their ASBO, on one or more occasions, 179 received a custodial sentence, of which 30 were for breach of ASBO alone. Within the same period and, as notified to the Home Office, no notification was received of the breach of an ASBO made at the same time as a parenting order.
	The minimum duration of an ASBO is two years but there is no maximum period. It is for the court to decide the duration of the order depending on the severity of their anti-social behaviour. The latest published figures up to September 2005 show that62 per cent of anti- social behaviour orders issued to young people aged 10 to 17 were for a period of less than three years. On 20 December 2005 we announced that we would put on a statutory footing the exisiting good practice guidance that agencies should conduct a one year review of ASBOs issued to children and young people, in order to ensure that they are receiving the help and support they need in order to avoid breaching the terms of the ASBOs.
	In addition, it is always open to the defendant or the applicant authority to go back to the court to vary or discharge the ASBO if one or more of the terms is no longer needed or needs strengthening.
	
		
			  Table A: The number of ASBOs issued to persons aged 10 years, as reported to the Home Office by all courts, where restrictions are imposed within local government authority areas, from 1 June 2000 to 30 September 2005England and Wales 
			  Local Government Authority Area  Number issued 
			 Barking and Dagenham LB 1 
			 Bassetlaw DC 1 
			 Bath and North East Somerset Council 1 
			 Birmingham CC 2 
			 East Cambridgeshire DC 1 
			 Leeds CC 3 
			 Liverpool CC 1 
			 Manchester CC 2 
			 Medway Council 1 
			 Newport CBC 1 
			 Plymouth CC 1 
			 Rochdale MBC 1 
			 Rushcliffe BC 1 
			 Salford MBC 1 
			 Southend-on-Sea BC 1 
			 St. Helens MBC 2 
			 Stoke-on-Trent CC 1 
			 Trafford MBC 2 
			 Walsall MBC 1 
			 Total 25 
			  Note: 1. Between 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000 data were collected on aggregate numbers only by police force area. 2. Some of the local authority areas defined in the table may not be classified as formally listed borough, city, district or unitary authorities.

Antisocial Behaviour

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been issued with an antisocial behaviour order in  (a) the London borough of Bexley and  (b) London since its inception.

Tony McNulty: Data on antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) are available at criminal justice system area and local government authority (Iga) area level only. A table giving annual data on the number of ASBOs issued at all courts, as reported to the Home Office, up to 30 September 2005 (latest available), broken down by the Iga area in which restrictions are imposed is available on the Crime Reduction website at www.crimereduction.gov.uk.

Antisocial Behaviour

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individual support orders attached to antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in each local authority area.

Tony McNulty: The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of individual support orders( 1)  given at the magistrates courts in addition to an ASBO, as reported to the Home Office, where restrictions are imposed within local authority areas from 1 May 2004 to 30 September 2005: England and Wales 
			  Local authority area  Individual support orders issued 
			 Bassetlaw DC 1 
			 Bolton MBC 1 
			 Camden LB 2 
			 Chester-le-Street DC 1 
			 Derwentside DC 1 
			 Gloucester CC 1 
			 Great Yarmouth BC 6 
			 Kings Lynn  West Norfolk BC 2 
			 Kirklees MC 1 
			 Leeds CC 1 
			 Manchester CC 2 
			 Mansfield DC 3 
			 Medway Council 1 
			 Newham LB 1 
			 North East Lincolnshire Council 1 
			 Salford CC 1 
			 South Tyneside MBC 1 
			 Southampton City Council 1 
			 Southwark LB 1 
			 Torfaen CBC 1 
			 Wolverhampton CC 1 
			 Total 31 
			 (1) Available at magistrates courts only for juveniles (10 - 17) with ASBOs issued on application. Commencement date 1 May 2004

Asylum Claims (Effect of Prison Sentence)

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a prison sentence affects an individual's outstanding claim for asylum; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 24 May 2006
	The Refugee Convention contains a number of exclusion provisions under which claimants will be refused asylum even if they have a fear of persecution in their own country.
	Where an individual has committed a crime in the UK consideration will be given to the application of Article 33(2) of the Refugee Convention. This provides that an asylum seeker or recognised refugee may be expelled where there are reasonable grounds for regarding them as a danger to national security or who, having been convicted of a particularly serious crime, constitutes a danger to the community.
	Section 72 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 provides an interpretation of Article 33(2) and defines the term 'particularly serious crime' as one for which the person concerned has received a sentence of imprisonment of at least two years, or has been convicted of an offence specified by order of the Secretary of State, whatever the length of sentence imposed. It also contains a rebuttable presumption that such a person is a danger to the community.
	A claimant would also be refused asylum where the crime committed is a crime against peace, war crime or a crime against humanity, or where it involves acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Contracts (Voluntary Sector)

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts are let by his Department to voluntary sector organisations; how many of those are let on an annual basis; and how many of those had received finalised contracts for 2006-07 by 31 March.

Liam Byrne: Funding for voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations may come from various parts of the Home Office itself or from money which the Home Office has provided for other bodies to buy services on its behalf.
	The Department is, however, moving towards multi-year funding relationships with the VCS. The recently announced strategic grants to representative parts of the VCS now cover a three to five-year period and involve over 5 million. Our grant funding of the charities Crime Concern and Crimestoppers now also provides three-year strategic partnership agreements which total nearly 5.3 million over three years. The recent NOMS programme of grant funding for VCS organisations totalling nearly 900,000 provided up to three-year grants where they were requested. Of the grants awarded six organisations received them for three years, five for two years and two for one year. The provision of drug treatments by Drug Action Team partnerships is funded through the Home Office and we have issued guidance to them advocating a minimum period of two years for contracts and preferably longer.

Correspondence

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood,to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of31 January 2006 on behalf of Jeffrey Tichaendepi Zungunde (Home Office reference Z10635301).

Liam Byrne: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood on 22 May 2006.

Criminal Justice Act

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what amendments have been made to the Criminal Justice Act 2003; for what purposes; and when.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I am arranging for the information requested to be placed in the Library of the House.

Departmental Estate

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what  (a) land and  (b) property his Department (i) leases and (ii) leased in (A) 1979, (B) 1983, (C) 1987, (D) 1992 and (E) 1997 in (1) the Southend, West constituency, (2) Essex, (3) Hertfordshire and (4) the Metropolitan Police area of London.

Tony McNulty: Records of leases held in previous years are not maintained by my Department.
	Other than land or properties where addresses cannot be disclosed for security reasons the Department leases no land, but leases property in the following locations:
	 Southend, West
	Nil.
	 Essex
	Southend Airport, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS2 6YH
	Stansted Airport, Bassingbourn Road, Stansted, Essex CM24 1RW
	Enterprise House, Stansted Airport, Essex CM24 1QW
	Harwick International Port, Harwich, Essex CO12 4SX
	Southern Lodge, Tilbury, Essex RM12
	Unit 6, Woodbrook Crescent, Billericay, Essex CM12 0EQ
	9a Reeds Farm, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 3SB
	4th Floor, Ashby House, Brook Street, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1PP
	Unit 9, Reunion House, 35 Jackson Road, Clacton, Essex CO15 1JA
	Unit G2 and G3, Jarmin Road, Colchester, Essex CO1 1XW
	23 St. Peters Street, Colchester, Essex CO1 1HL
	3rd Floor, Market House, Stone Cross, Harlow, Essex CM20 1AA
	49 Braintree Road, Witham, Essex CM8 2DD
	11 Cranes Farm Road, Basildon, Essex SS14 3DB
	 Hertfordshire
	North Park House, The Precinct, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire EN10 7HY
	Mid Herts Centre, 62-72 Victoria Street, St. Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 3XH
	16-22 Kings Street, Watford, Hertfordshire WDl 8BP
	Graham House, Yeomans Court, 2 Block A Ware Road, Hertfordshire SG13 7HJ
	 Metropolitan Police area of London
	88 Clapham High Road, London SW9 0JT
	Floors 1, 2 and 3,34 Greenwich High Road, SE10 8LW
	Hope House, 32-34 Greenwich High Road, London SE10 8LW
	34-36 Englefield Road, Hackney, London N1 4EZ
	377-383 Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9RD
	121A Church Walk, Hackney, London N16 8QW
	1-5 Dorset Close, London, NW1 5AN
	71 Great Peter Street, London, SW1P 2BN
	Autophone House, 73 Great Peter Street, London, SW1P 2BN
	Harpenden House, 248-250 Norwood Road, London SW27 9AZ
	474-480 Holloway Road, London N7 6HT
	143 Nottinghill Gate, London W11 3LE
	1 Reed House, 2-4 Rectory Road, London N16 7QS
	Riverside House, Beresford Street, London SE18 6DH
	401 St. Johns Street, London EC1 4QE
	208 Lewisham High Street, London SE13 5JH
	79 East Hill, Wandsworth, London SW18 2QE
	Units 4 and 5 Mitre House, 223-227 Great Dover Street, London SE1 1JD
	175-177 Seymour Place, London W1H 4PL
	Ellison House, 370 Albany Road, London SE5 0AJ
	Lancaster House, Leeland Road, Ealing, London W13 9HH.
	The Old Court House, Windmill Hill, Enfield, Middlesex EN2 6SA
	Rosslyn Crescent, Harrow, London HA1 2SR
	Banklabs House, 41a Cross Lances Road, Hounslow, London TW3 2AD
	71 Lordship Lane, London, N17 6RS
	90 Lansdowne Road, London N17 9XX
	Unit 5, Atlas Business Centre, Qxgate Lane, London NW2 7HJ
	Harrow Magistrates Court, Rosslyn Crescent, Middlesex HA1 2SD
	15 Belton Road, Forest Gate, London E7 9PF
	Norwich Place, Bexleyheath, Kent DA6 7ND
	Crosby House, 9-13 Elmfield Road, Bromley, Kent BR1 1LT
	1 London Road, Bromley, Kent BR1 1BY
	111 Chertsey Crescent, New Addington, Surrey CR0 0DH
	Room 203,2 Barclay Road, Croydon, Surrey CR9 3NE
	Church House, 1A Old Palace Road, Croydon, Surrey CR0 1AX
	51 Wandle Road, Croydon, Surrey CR0 1DF
	16 High Street, Kingston-Upon-Thames, Surrey KTl 4DB
	45 High Street, Kingston-Upon-Thames, Surrey KTl 1LQ
	Newton House, 1 Commonside West, Mitcham, Surrey CR4 4HA
	103 Westmead Road, Sutton, Surrey SM1 4JD
	296a Kingston Road, London SW20 8LX
	Colnbrook Bypass, Harmondsworth, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 0FX
	Harmondsworth, Longford, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 0HB
	Queens Building, Terminal 2, Heathrow Airport, Middlesex TW6 1EN
	Grenadier House, 99-105 HorseferryRoad, London SW1P 2DX
	84-85 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6PD
	Allington Towers, Allington Road, Victoria, London SW1
	10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE
	AMP House, Dingwall Road, Croydon CR20 2LX
	Heathrow Airport, Terminal 1, Hounslow, Middlesex TW6 1BN
	Heathrow Airport, Terminal 2, Hounslow, Middlesex TW6 1ND
	Heathrow Airport, Terminal 3, Hounslow, Middlesex TW6 1ND
	Heathrow Airport, Terminal 4, Hounslow, Middlesex TW6 3XB
	Building 820, Terminal 3, Hounslow, Middlesex TW6 1SX
	Eaton House, 581 Staines Road, Hounslow, Middlesex TW4 5DL
	Feltham Green, 21 High Street, Hounslow, Middlesex TW13 4AG
	Hanover House, Units 4 and 5, Aspen Way, Feltham Middlesex TW13 7JJ
	Beckett House, 60-68 St. Thomas Street, London Bridge, London SE1 3QU
	London City Airport, Royal Docks, Silvertown, London E16 2PX
	Status Park 1, 1 Noble Drive, Hayes, Middlesex UB3 5EY
	Status Park 2, 6 Noble Drive, Hayes, Middlesex UB3 5EY
	Status Park 3, 4 Noble Drive, Hayes, Middlesex UB3 5EY
	Status Park 4, 3 Noble Drive, Hayes, Middlesex UB3 5EY
	Stockley Park, 1 Furzeground Way, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB1 11D
	Apollo House, 36 Wellesley Road, Croydon, Surrey CR0 9YA
	Beddington Cross, Unit 17, Beddington Lane, Croydon, Surrey CR0 4XH
	Bedford Point, 34-35 Dingwall Road, Croydon Surrey CR0 9XG
	Christopher Wren, 113 High Street, Croydon, Surrey CR0 1QG
	Electric House, 3 Wellesley Road, Croydon, Surrey CR9 2AT
	Canterbury House, 2-6 Sydenham Road, Croydon, Surrey CR0 9XE
	Green Park House, 29 Wellesley Road, Croydon, Surrey CR9 2BY
	Lunar House, 40 Wellesley Road, Croydon, Surrey CR9 2BY
	Metro Point, 49 Sydenham Road, Croydon, Surrey CR0 2EU
	Quest House, 11 Cross Road, Croydon, Surrey CR9 6EL
	St. Anne House, 20-26 Wellesley Road, Croydon, Surrey CR9 2HL
	Whitgift Blocks A-E, 15 Wellesley Road, Croydon, Surrey CR9 1AT
	2 Marsham Street, London SW1 P4DF (PFI)
	277-289 High Road, Ilford, Essex IG1 1QQ
	28-42 Clements Road, Ilford, Essex IGl 1BA
	29-33 Victoria Road, Romford, Essex RM1 2JT.

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff from his Department attended the Civil Service Islamic Society Eid-UI-Adha event in London in 2005; and what the total cost to his Department was of this attendance.

Liam Byrne: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will write to the hon. Member with details of the Civil Service Islamic Society Eid-UI-Adha event. Copies of her letter will be placed in the Library.

Dr. David Kelly

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which individual decided that Dr. Nicholas Hunt should be the pathologist chosen to investigate the death of Dr. David Kelly in July 2003.

Joan Ryan: The selection of the pathologist to undertake a post-mortem examination is made, by the coroner with jurisdiction, under the provisions of s19 or s20 Coroners Act 1988. In cases of suspicious death, where there may be a prosecution, the coroner would consult the police (see Rule 6 Coroners Rules 1984) before making the selection. The death of Dr. Kelly took place within the jurisdiction of the Oxfordshire coroner and so the choice of Dr. Hunt would have been made by that coroner.

Drink Offences

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders were found guilty of  (a) drunken and disorderly behaviour and  (b) drunken and aggravated disorderly behaviour in(i) England and (ii) Tamworth constituency in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: Data from the Court Proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform on the number of offenders convicted at all courts for offences relating to  (a) drunken and disorderly behaviour and  (b) drunken and aggravated disorderly behaviour in (i) England and (ii) Tamworth constituency in England, 1997 to 2004 are contained in the first table. It is not possible to separately identify Tamworth, as the data is not collected at this level of detail, therefore data for the Lichfield and Tamworth area has been provided instead.
	Statistics for 2005 court proceedings will be available in the autumn of 2006.
	Some drunkenness offences are now dealt with by penalty notice for disorder. The penalty notice for disorder scheme was brought into effect in all police forces in England and Wales during 2004. Under the scheme the police are able to issue persons believed to have committed specified minor offences with a fixed penalty notice. No admission of guilt is required and payment of the penalty discharges all liability to conviction of the offence. Data on the number of penalty notices for disorder issued in 2004 and 2005 (provisional data) for offences related to drunkenness are provided in the second table.
	
		
			  Number of offenders found guilty at all courts for offences relating to drunkenness, Lichfield and Tamworth Local Justice Area, and England 1997 to 2004( 1) 
			   Lichfield and Tamworth Petty Sessional Area  England 
			   Drunkenness, simple( 2)  Drunkenness with aggravation( 3)  Drunkenness, simple( 2)  Drunkenness with aggravation( 3) 
			 1997   3,333 22,474 
			 1998   3,710 23,864 
			 1999 1 3 3,134 22,764 
			 2000  61 2,579 22,078 
			 2001 3 28 2,424 21,468 
			 2002 2 29 2,201 22,741 
			 2003 6 39 1,999 23,893 
			 2004 5 32 1,674 17,550 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis.(2) Includes offences under S.12 Licensing Act 1872, Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act 1985 SS.1(4), 1 A(4), 2.(2) and S.12 Criminal Justice  Police Act 2001.(3) Includes offences under S.91 Criminal Justice Act 1967, S.12 Licensing Act 1872, S.174 Licensing Act 1964, S.9(4) Late Night Refreshment Houses Act 1969, S.28 London Hackney Carriage Act 1843, SS.101(1)(a)(b), (4)  (5) Merchant Shipping Act 1995, S.2 Licensing Act 1902 and S.61 Town Police Clauses Act 1847. 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of Penalty Notices for Disorder issued in for offences related to drunkenness, England, 2004 and 2005( 1) 
			   Total  DA06 Drunk and disorderly  DB05 Drunk in a highway  DB07 Consumption of alcohol in public place 
			 2004 28,455 25,591 2,387 477 
			 2005( 1) 37,742 34,220 2,873 649 
			 (1) Provisional data. Source:RDSOffice for Criminal Justice Reform.

Europol

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 17 May 2006,  Official Report, column 1036W, on Europol, what discussions he has had relating to the future of Europol.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 25 May 2006
	The Austrian presidency has initiated an EU-wide debate on Europol's future, most recently in the form of a Friends of the Presidency group consisting of experts from the member States, the Commission and Europol.
	In light of their discussions, the presidency has prepared an options paper which summarises the possible approaches that could be explored. The presidency intends agreeing council conclusions on the paper at the meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 1 and 2 June. These would provide a basis for taking the discussions further forward in the council working groups.

Forensic Science

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether evidence in reports for the Forensic Science Service is checked by outside agencies.

Joan Ryan: Evidence in reports prepared by the Forensic Science Service Ltd (FSS) is assessed externally to ensure that quality standards are met. The FSS is accredited to the ISO 17025 (2005) standard, which is an international testing standard for laboratories. This testing standard requires independent assessment of the FSS Quality Management System by an external body?in this case the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). The UKAS assessment includes proficiency testing organised by other forensic provider networks within the UK, EU and UN, and covers the extent to which the FSS provides assurance that the results it provides meet the required quality standards. The FSS is also accredited to the wider ranging ISO 9001 standard that is assessed by the British Standards Institute (BSI).
	Under disclosure rules, access to FSS files is available to the defence and the courts for scrutiny in any particular investigation. A proportion of cases in which the FSS has provided evidence for the prosecution are independently examined and checked by other forensic providers on behalf of the defence.

Immigration

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are in place to enable employers to research the immigration status of foreign nationals applying for jobs; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Section eight of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 provides employers with a statutory defence from conviction if they check and record certain specified documents belonging to potential employees. To support employers to meet their responsibilities under section eight, detailed guidance is available in hard copy from the IND Employers' Helpline and electronically on the IND website. The Employers' Helpline offers a dedicated enquiry and information service on the prevention of illegal migrant working. The Home Office Employing Migrant Workers website provides employers with a step-by-step guide to the checks that they are advised to complete to ensure that a person is legally allowed to work in the UK. UKIS local enforcement offices can also provide employers with a presentation on preventing illegal working.

Indefinite Leave to Remain

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people living in Putney constituency applied for indefinite leave to remain in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many people living in Putney constituency are awaiting a final decision on their application for indefinite leave to remain; how many people on average were awaiting a final decision in each of the previous five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many people living in Putney constituency were issued a final decision, with no further right of appeal, on their application for indefinite leave to remain on average in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 22 May 2006
	Information is not available on a constituency basis.

Iraq (Alleged Stolen Cultural Property)

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) prosecutions and  (b) convictions there have been in connection with alleged stolen cultural property originating in Iraq in each police force area since January 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act 2003 came into effect on 30 December 2003. The Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform shows that in 2004 there were no prosecutions or convictions for dishonestly dealing in cultural objects in England and Wales. Statistics on court proceedings for 2005 will be available in the autumn of 2006.
	The Iraq (United Nations Sanctions) Order 2003 came into force on 14 June 2003. The data held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform does not separately identify the offence under this order of dealing in cultural property originating in Iraq.

London Bombings

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his oral statement of 11 May 2006,  Official Report, column 522, on the London bombings, when, and in what form, the Government plan to release details of the lessons learned exercise addressing aspects of the emergency response into the 7 July 2005 attacks.

Tony McNulty: A document summarising progress in addressing the multi-agency lessons learned from the emergency response to the 7 July attacks is being compiled, and will be published before the summer recess. Copies will be placed in the Library of the House.

MI5 Files

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many MI5 files were extant at 31 December 2005; how many were categorised as  (a) green,  (b) amber and  (c) red; and how many were (i) held on microfiche, (ii) held as hard copy and (iii) held on computer in each category.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 8 May 2006
	The available information is that the Security Service held approximately 325,000 files in January 2005. The categorisations of these files were, on this date, as follows: 10 per cent. green, 46 per cent. amber and44 per cent. red. 60,000 of these files were held on microfiche or microfilm, with the remaining paper based. No files at this date were held on computer.

Non-emergency 101 Number

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how relevant requests made to the non-emergency 101 number will be passed on to services provided by local authorities.

Tony McNulty: 101, the Single Non-Emergency Number will be delivered by local authorities and police working in partnership to handle calls and coordinate corresponding services. They will agree which partner is responsible for delivering which service. Requests for service will be passed to each partner accordingly in the most effective way using either existing information technology infrastructure and capability or through the provision of new solutions where necessary or appropriate.

Pathologists

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the qualified pathologists his Department  (a) uses and  (b) used in July 2003; and for how long (i) each pathologist who is on the list has been on the list and (ii) each pathologist on the list in July 2003 had been on the list at that time. (73993)
	 Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question.

Joan Ryan: The Home Office does not employ or instruct forensic pathologists but does maintain a register of forensic pathologists who have sufficient qualifications, training and experience to be instructed in cases of suspicious or violent death.
	The following lists show those forensic pathologists who are on the Home Office Register (updated April 2006) and those that were on the register in July 2003. In each case the year in which they were added to the Register is also listed.
	 April 2006
	Dr. P. Acland (1984)
	Dr. L. M. Al-Alousi (2002)
	Dr. A. M. Anscombe (1989)
	Dr. A. Armour (1997)
	Dr. D. C. Bouch (1984)
	Dr. N. Carter (1995)
	Dr. N. R. B. Cary (1992)
	Dr. R. C. Chapman (1991)
	Dr. D. S. Cook (2003)
	Dr. P. N. Cooper (1993)
	Dr. A. M. Davison (1999)
	Dr. V. Djurovic (1991)
	Dr. M. J. Egan (2002)
	Dr. A. W. Fegan-Earl (2002)
	Dr. G. C. A. Fernando (1993)
	Dr. N. C. A. Hunt (2001)
	Dr. D. S. James (1994)
	Dr. P. G. Jerreat (1991)
	Dr. C. P. Johnson (1996)
	Dr. W. Lawler (1984)
	Dr. S. Leadbeatter (1989)
	Dr. P. Lumb (2003)
	Prof. C. Milroy (1991)
	Dr. F. Patel (1991)
	Dr. B. N. Purdue (2002)
	Prof. R. A. Risdon (2002)
	Dr. B. Rogers (2001)
	Dr. D. A. Rouse (1991)
	Prof. G. N. Rutty (1996)
	Dr. R. T. Shepherd (1991)
	Dr. K. Shorrock (2000)
	Dr. J. P. Sunter (1986)
	Dr. B. Swift (2005)
	Dr. E. Tapp (1986)
	Prof. P. Vanezis (2003)
	Dr. H. White (1994)
	Prof. H. L. Whitwell (1988)
	Dr. C. A. Wilson (1999)
	 July 2003
	Dr. P. Acland (1984)
	Dr. L. M. Al-Alousi (2002)
	Dr. A. M. Anscombe (1989)
	Dr. A. Armour (1997)
	Dr. D. C. Bouch (1984)
	Dr. N. Carter (1995)
	Dr. N. R. B. Cary (1992)
	Dr. R. C. Chapman (1991)
	Dr. K. Chen (1999)
	Dr. D. S. Cook (2003)
	Dr. P. N. Cooper (1993)
	Dr. A. M. Davison (1999)
	Dr. V. Djurovic (1991)
	Dr. M. J. Egan (2002)
	Dr. A. W. Fegan-Earl (2002)
	Dr. G. C. A. Fernando (1993)
	Dr. T. A. French (1978)
	Dr. M. J. Heath (1991)
	Dr. I. Hill (1990)
	Dr. N. C. A. Hunt (2001)
	Dr. D. S. James (1994)
	Dr. P. G. Jerreat (1991)
	Dr. C. P. Johnson (1996)
	Dr. W. Lawler (1984)
	Dr. S. Leadbeatter (1989)
	Prof. C. Milroy (1991)
	Dr. F. Patel (1991)
	Dr. B. N. Purdue (2002)
	Prof. R. A. Risdon (2002)
	Dr. B. Rogers (2001)
	Dr. D. A. Rouse (1991)
	Dr. J. Rutherford (1992)
	Prof. G. N. Rutty (1996)
	Dr. R. T. Shepherd (1991)
	Dr. K. Shorrock (2000)
	Dr. J. P. Sunter (1986)
	Dr. E. Tapp (1986)
	Prof. P. Vanezis (2003)
	Dr. H. White (1994)
	Prof. H. L. Whitwell (1988)
	Dr. A.R. Williams (1986)
	Dr. C. A. Wilson (1999)
	Dr. N. Woodford (2001)

People Trafficking

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to enhance  (a) inter-departmental co-operation and  (b) a multi-agency approach involving non-governmental organisations in tackling the trafficking of people into the UK.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office chairs an inter-departmental ministerial group which meets quarterly and involves a number of Government Departments to discuss how the UK should tackle human trafficking.
	We recently finished a public consultation on our strategy to combat trafficking in human beings. The objective of this consultation was to feed into the development of a National Action Plan. We received over 200 responses from non-governmental organisations (NGOs), religious organisations, law enforcement and other bodies.
	We are exploring with the key NGOs and others the potential benefits and disadvantages of the approach set out in the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. Regular meetings with NGO stakeholders are chaired jointly by the Home Office and the Solicitor General. The first meeting of this new group took place on 15 February and focused on trafficking for sexual exploitation. The group recently met for the second time to discuss the trafficking of children, and will meet again in July. The Government will continue to listen carefully to NGO views to enhance the policies it puts in place to tackle human trafficking.

Police

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been allocated to reduce services to re-offending in each police authority area in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Expenditure on reducing re-offending over 2001-02 to 2005-06 is estimated as:
	
		
			million 
			 2001-02 (1)795 
			 2002-03 (1,2)91 
			 2003-04 (1)870 
			 2004-05 (1)918 
			 2005-06 (3)1,034 
			 (1) Based on expenditure from Home Office Departmental Report table 6.2 2004-05 for Correctional Services, Prisons Service, Probation Service and YJB. (2) The 2002-03 figure has been inflated by an accounting adjustment. (3) Based on planned expenditure per Home Office Departmental Report 2004-05 
		
	
	This is based on an assessment of the proportion of Correctional Services expenditure in England and Wales specifically aimed to reduce re-offending, though on a broader definition most of Correctional Services expenditure, much police expenditure and expenditure by other agencies working with offenders, could have an impact on re-offending.
	It is not possible to provide this information for each police authority area as funding to this level is not necessarily separately identified as being for reducing re-offending, and it is not all allocated on the basis of police authority areas.

Police

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police there were in  (a) Devon and  (b) Cornwall in March (i) 2002, (ii) 2003, (iii) 2004, (iv) 2005 and (v) 2006.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is set out in the table. Data on the deployment of police officers to basic command units is collected annually. Information for the position on 31 March 2006 will not be available until the end of July when it will be published on-line by our Research, Development and Statistics Directorate.
	
		
			  Number of police officers in Devon and Cornwall 2002 to 2005 
			  As at 31 March  Cornwall( 1)  Devon( 2) 
			 2002 705 1,640 
			 2003 737 1,779 
			 2004 774 1,826 
			 2005 784 1,885 
			 Increase 79 (11.2%) 245(14.9%) 
			 (1) Cornwall is one basic command unit and includes the Isles of Scilly. (2 )Devon has three basic command units: North and East Devon, Plymouth and South and West Devon.  Source: 2002 data was collected by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary. From 2003 collected by Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate.

Police

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects a permanent chief constable to the Thames Valley police force to be appointed.

Tony McNulty: The chief constable of Thames Valley police force is appointed by Thames Valley police authority. The current chief constable, Peter Neyroud has been seconded to the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) since January 2006, as chief executive designate.
	Subject to the passage of the Police and Justice Bill, the NPIA will be established on 1 April 2007. We expect the Bill to complete its parliamentary stages in October-November this year, and Thames Valley police authority are likely to advertise the post of chief constable after that date.

Preventing Extremism

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to implement the proposal in his Department's Preventing Extremism Together report to subsidise the work of the Federation of Student Islamic Societies.

Meg Munn: I have been asked to reply.
	The Preventing Extremism Together (PET) working groups convened last year suggested that further debate between young British Muslims and influential Muslim scholars and figures could help and encourage a stronger challenge to the message of extremism. As a result the Government have supported a campaign to help do this, led by grassroots British Muslim organisations such as Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS), Q News and Young Muslim Organisation (YMO) amongst other Muslim organisations. To date the initiative which was successfully launched in December 2005 has brought influential mainstream Muslims scholars and thinkers to speak to audiences of thousands of 18-30 year old British Muslims, a large percentage of whom have been young British Muslim women. To ensure that the message reaches a wider audience the organisers have also developed a website and are producing a range of other resources.

Prisons

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of  (a) the importance to prisoners of serving in open conditions close to their homes and  (b) the impact of doing so on (i) the prospect of getting full-time employment upon release, (ii) successful reintegration into the community and (iii) re-offending rates.

Gerry Sutcliffe: There has been no formal evaluation of the impact on resettlement outcomes of open and resettlement regimes. Valuable work is undertaken with prisoners throughout their sentence and it might be misleading to ascribe resettlement outcomes only to the discharging prison. However, a new method of evaluation is now being tested within NOMS which may facilitate a more sophisticated analysis of the impact of different regimes. If this methodology proves successful, the same approach will used, later this year, to evaluate the impact on re-offending of open and resettlement estate regimes, close to their homes;  (b) or the impact of doing so on employment on release, successful resettlement or their re-offending rates.

Prisons

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State forthe Home Department pursuant to his answer of7 February 2006,  Official Report, column 1108W, on prisoners, how many  (a) escapes and  (b) unapproved absences there have been from English prisons since7 February 2006, broken down by region.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Since 7 February 2006, there have been no escapes and 84 unapproved absences from English prisons as detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  Unapproved absences from English prisons from 7 February to 24 May 2006 
			  Prison area  Number of unapproved absences 
			 East Midlands 17 
			 Eastern 5 
			 Kent 13 
			 London 3 
			 North West 6 
			 North East 6 
			 South West 6 
			 Surrey and Sussex 10 
			 Thames Valley, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight 2 
			 West Midlands 5 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 11 
			 Total 84

Prisons

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have escaped from prisons in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years, broken down by prison.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Data on escapes from prisons in England and Wales is given in the following table. Prisons that have had no escapes in the last 10 years have been excluded from the table. Data about escapes from prisons in Scotland and Northern Ireland is available from the Scottish Executive and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland respectively.
	
		
			  Escapes from prisons in England and Wales between 1996-97 and 2005-06 
			  Establishment name  1996-97  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Aldington 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Altcourse 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Ashwell 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Belmarsh 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Blantyre House 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Blundeston 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Brinsford 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0 
			 Bristol 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Brixton 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Buckley Hall 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Bullingdon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Cardiff 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Castington 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0  
			 Coldingley 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Dartmoor 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 
			 Deerbolt 1 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Doncaster 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Dover 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Downview 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Eastwood Park 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Erlestoke 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Everthorpe 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Exeter 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Featherstone 0 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Feltham 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Ford 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Foston Hall 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Glen Parva 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Gloucester 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Grendon 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 
			 Guys Marsh 0 0 2 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 
			 Haslar 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Haverigg 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 
			 Hollesley Bay 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Huntercombe 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Kirklevington 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Lancaster 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Latchmere House 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Leicester 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Lincoln 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Lindholme 0 0 1 8 0 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Littlehey 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Liverpool 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Low Newton 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Mount 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Norwich 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 
			 Oxford 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Parc 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Pentonville 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Portland 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Ranby 3 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Risley 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Rochester 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Rye Hill 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 
			 Send 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Stafford 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 
			 Stocken 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Styal 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Thorn Cross 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Verne 6 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 5 2 
			 Wealstun 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Weare 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Wellingborough 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Werrington 0 3 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Wetherby 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Winchester 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Prisons

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanisms exist to ensure that governing governor staff at HM Prison establishments comply with the requirements of the Prevention of Corruption Acts of 1906 and 1916; what assessment he has made of the compliance withthe provisions of that legislation in London establishments; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: A Professional Standards Strategy and the Professional Standards Unit were established in February 2003 to tackle staff corruption in the Prison Service. The strategy is contained in Prison Service Order 1215 Professional Standards: Preventing and Handling Staff Wrongdoing. It sets out a policy framework and practical advice for staff, including governing governors, for obtaining, developing and dealing with information and intelligence on corrupt staff. It includes provision for confidential reporting and establishes the requirement to provide specialist professional standards managers at prison, area and national levels. The London Area Professional Standards Managers support and visit London establishments to monitor compliance with the strategy.

Prolific and Priority Offender Strategy

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Answer of 17 May 2006,  Official Report, column 1051W, on the Prolific and Priority Offender Strategy, what range of interventions are available to deal with youth offenders under the strategy in Peterborough; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Young offenders who are targeted under the Prevent and Deter strand of the Prolific and other Priority Offender programme will receive interventions based on an assessment of their needs and the risks related to the likelihood of future offending.
	In Peterborough, these young people are reviewed on monthly basis by a multi- agency group which includes the Prolific and Priority Offender co-ordinator, the Youth Offending Service, the police, Connexions, Social Services, community safety staff and education and housing representatives. The group focuses on ensuring that the young people concerned do receive the appropriate interventions or support from the appropriate agencies to reduce the risk of further offending. The nature of the interventions received or support given will vary from case to case, so as to be responsive to the individual needs of the young person concerned.

Security Industry Authority

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many companies were visited by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) prior to the 20 March deadline as part of Operation Forewarn; how many of those have been revisited since 20 March; and how many enforcement personnel employed by the SIA have been employed in checking licences since 20 March.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 18 April 2006
	'Operation Forewarn' is one of a number of initiatives in a wider Security Industry Authority operation that will ensure senior employees of private security companies understand their legal obligations under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (PSIA 2001).
	Prior to 20 March, 84 companies were issued with warnings as part of this initiative.
	Since 20 March the SIA has been carrying out a series of visits to customer sites as part of the next phase of compliance initiatives. At 7 April, 52 sites operated by 20 security companies were visited and security operatives checked. 55 SIA warning notices were issued to individuals who were found to be working unlawfully. Further details cannot be provided as this may prejudice ongoing and future operations involving compliance and investigation. An update will be provided and placed in the Library by the end of June.
	The SIA has a regionally based compliance teamof 33.

Stolen Works of Art

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with the police about the theft of works of art from private collections;
	(2)  what priority for policing he has made the recovery of stolen works of art;
	(3)  what resources he has made available to the police for the recovery of stolen works of art.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 22 May 2006
	My right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, has not met with the police service to discuss the theft of works of art from private collections. However, I am aware that senior officers from a number of forces recently met with representatives of the art and antiques trade to discuss a range of issues.
	The Government take all crime seriously and has a public service agreement target to reduce crime by 15 per cent. by 2007-08, and by more in high crime areas. This broader target gives police forces and authorities, together with communities and partners, flexibility to target the crimes that are of most pressing local concern.
	Police authorities and chief constables are required to have regard to the national strategic priorities when drawing up their local policing plans. One of these is tackling serious and organised crime, which may include theft of works of art from private collections.
	Both the National Criminal Intelligence Service and the National Crime Squad have in the past provided assistance to police forces in recovering art works and antiques. The Serious Organised Crime Agency will also play a role here.

Victim Support

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are in place to ensure that victims of crime and their families are provided with all the necessary support throughout the criminal justice process.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The code of practice for victims of crime, introduced in April this year, gives victims a statutory right to receive information about their case at crucial points.
	We fund the voluntary organisation Victim Support 30 million annually to provide emotional support and practical information to victims and witnesses of crime. Last year Victim Support helped 1.3 million people and their witness service supported almost 400,000 witnesses, victims, families and friends.
	In addition there are 165 Witness Care Units in England and Wales, ensuring that witnesses receive a tailor-made service, with their individual needs considered from the time a statement is first taken.

Weapons Offences

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were convicted of an offence involving  (a) a knife and  (b) a gun in (i) Gloucestershire and (ii) Stroud in each of the last five years; and how many of those convictions resulted in a prison sentence.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Data from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform on the number of people convicted of offences specifically relating to knives, firearms or offensive weapons in (i) Gloucestershire and (ii) Stroud, can be found in the table.
	It is not possible to separately identify other offences which involved guns or knives as the circumstances of the offences are not collected.
	Court statistics for 2005 will be available in autumn 2006.
	
		
			  Number of people convicted at all courts and of those for offences involving knives and guns, the number of those placed in immediate custody in Gloucestershire police force area, 2000-04( 1) 
			Found guilty 
			  Offence act  Offence description  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004 
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 17(1) (Group II) as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1972 S28(2). Using firearms or imitation firearms to resist arrest. 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Prevention of Crime Act 1953 Sec.1(1) as amended by Offensive Weapons Act 1996 S.2(1). Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse. 30 36 43 32 36 
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 17(2) (Group I) as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1972 S28(3). Possessing firearms or imitation fire arm at time of committing or being arrested for an offence specified in schedule 1 of the Act. 1 1 1 0 1 
			 Firearms Act 1968 Sec 16A (as amended by Firearms (Amendment) Act 1994) Group I. Possession of a firearm or imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. 2 2 3 1 5 
			 Firearms Act 1968 Sec 16A (as amended by Firearms (Amendment) Act 1994) (Group II). Possession of a firearm or imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Criminal Justice Act 1988 S.139 as amended by Offensive Weapons Act 1996 S.3. Having an article with blade or point in public place. 17 24 26 32 42 
			 Criminal Justice Act 1988 S.139A (2X5Xb) as added by Offensive Weapons Act 1996 S.4(1). Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse on school premises. 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Firearms Act 1968 (Group I) Sec 1(1),as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec.157, Sch.8 part III Possessing etc firearm or ammunition without firearm certificate. 0 3 3 1 3 
			 Firearms Act 1968, Sec 2(1) (Group II) as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec.157 Sch.8 part III. Possessing etc shot gun without certificate. 5 6 4 1 2 
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 5(1) (Group I) as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec.157 Sch.8 part III. Possessing or distributing prohibited weapons or ammunition. 6 5 3 9 3 
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 19 (Group I) as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec.157 Sch.8 part III. Carrying loaded firearm in public place etc. 0 0 0 1 1 
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 21(4) (Group I) as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec.157 Sch.8 part III. Possession of firearms by persons previously convicted of crime. 0 0 0 1 1 
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 21(4) (Group II) as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec.157 Sch.8 part III. Possession of firearms by persons previously convicted of crime. 1 0 1 0 0 
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 21(4) (Group III) as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec.157 Sch.8 part III. Possession of firearms by persons previously convicted of crime. 0 0 1 0 1 
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 19 (Group III) Carrying loaded firearm in public place etc. 1 0 3 1 2 
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 22(5) (Group III) Person under 17 having with him an air weapon in a public place. 0 0 0 1 0 
		
	
	
		
			Immediate custody 
			2000  2001  2002  2003  2004 
			  Offence act  Offence description  
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 17(1) (Group II) as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1972 S28(2). Using firearms or imitation firearms to resist arrest. 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Prevention of Crime Act 1953 Sec.1(1) as amended by Offensive Weapons Act 1996 S.2(1). Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse. 5 6 1 3 4 
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 17(2) (Group I) as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1972 S28(3). Possessing firearms or imitation fire arm at time of committing or being arrested for an offence specified in schedule 1 of the Act. 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Firearms Act 1968 Sec 16A (as amended by Firearms (Amendment) Act 1994) Group I. Possession of a firearm or imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. 1 0 0 0 3 
			 Firearms Act 1968 Sec 16A (as amended by Firearms (Amendment) Act 1994) (Group II). Possession of a firearm or imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Criminal Justice Act 1988 S.139 as amended by Offensive Weapons Act 1996 S.3. Having an article with blade or point in public place. 3 1 3 3 8 
			 Criminal Justice Act 1988 S.139A (2X5Xb) as added by Offensive Weapons Act 1996 S.4(1). Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse on school premises. 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Firearms Act 1968 (Group I) Sec 1(1),as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec.157, Sch.8 part III Possessing etc firearm or ammunition without firearm certificate. 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Firearms Act 1968, Sec 2(1) (Group II) as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec.157 Sch.8 part III. Possessing etc shot gun without certificate. 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 5(1) (Group I) as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec.157 Sch.8 part III. Possessing or distributing prohibited weapons or ammunition. 0 0 0 2 1 
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 19 (Group I) as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec.157 Sch.8 part III. Carrying loaded firearm in public place etc. 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 21(4) (Group I) as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec.157 Sch.8 part III. Possession of firearms by persons previously convicted of crime. 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 21(4) (Group II) as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec.157 Sch.8 part III. Possession of firearms by persons previously convicted of crime. 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 21(4) (Group III) as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec.157 Sch.8 part III. Possession of firearms by persons previously convicted of crime. 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 19 (Group III) Carrying loaded firearm in public place etc. 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Firearms Act, 1968 Sec 22(5) (Group III) Person under 17 having with him an air weapon in a public place. 0 0 0 0 0 
			 (1) These data are provided on the principal offence basis.  Source: RDS?Office for Criminal Justice Reform

Work Permits

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permit applications from foreign employees of farmers in Bassetlaw have been refused in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: Only one work permit application (made in 2005) has been refused within the last five years. The data is from local management information and is therefore provisional and subject to change.

32 (The Royal) Squadron

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why 32 (The Royal) Squadron made two return flights to Brussels on21 January 2003 on behalf of the Minister for Europe; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: This Department has no record of my right hon. Friend the then Minister for Europe(Mr. MacShane) using 32 (The Royal) Squadron on21 January 2003.

Afghanistan

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the likely effect on the security situation in Helmand Province, Afghanistan of the increase in opium production in 2004-05.

Kim Howells: According to the United Nations Office on drugs and crime figures, 2004-05 saw a 21 per cent. reduction in the level of opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. However, production decreased by only 2.4 per cent. as improved weather conditions and less disease resulted in higher yields per hectare. This was particularly the case in Helmand Province, where opium production increased despite a 10 per cent. fall in the area under cultivation.
	It would be speculation to draw a link between an increase in opium production in 2004-05 and the security situation in Helmand. However, it is clear that the drugs trade flourishes in a lawless environment.It also contributes to the perpetuation of that environment and hinders the reconstruction process.
	That is why the UK is supporting the Government of Afghanistan to implement its National Drug Control Strategy, including by co-ordinating international assistance designed to target the trafficker and the trade, strengthen and diversify legal rural livelihoods, build effective counter narcotics institutions and reduce domestic demand. More broadly, our wider military and civilian engagement in Helmand Province will help to create a more secure environment and develop Afghanistan's institutions and legitimate economy.

Arms Control

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress the Government are making in ensuring that the UN General Assembly mandates a start to negotiations for the international arms treaty in 2006; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: We are working to build support for the launch of a UN based process to take forward the initiative for an international treaty on the arms trade. In 2005, support was secured from both the EU and the Commonwealth. In 2006 my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Kim Howells, made a speech making the case for a treaty while on a visit to the United Nations in Geneva. Speaking to the assembled diplomatic community, my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary (Jack Straw) also spoke about the UK's commitment to the arms trade treaty in a speech at Mansion House on April 26. In addition, we have conducted a global awareness raising and lobbying exercise through our network of diplomatic posts, and are in contact with a wide range of partners to secure the consensus needed for the start of a formal process to be agreed at the UN General Assembly later this year.

Ascension Island

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of the domestic dwellings on Ascension Island are  (a) freehold and  (b) leasehold properties.

Geoff Hoon: The Crown, in right of Ascension Island, holds the freehold of all domestic dwellings on Ascension Island. Ascension has a system of registered title to land; all land (including domestic dwellings) is registered as freehold land owned by the Crown; there are no registered leasehold interests on domestic dwellings on Ascension Island.
	Ascension Island Government has entered into arrangements with four individuals to occupy properties on the basis that they are conducting business which is deemed to be essential to the functioning of the Island.

British Passport Holders

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people living permanently in  (a) Nigeria and  (b) Pakistan hold a UK passport.

Kim Howells: We estimate that approximately 16,000 British nationals live permanently in Nigeria and hold a British passport and approximately 35,000 British nationals live permanently in Pakistan and hold a British passport. These figures are based on passport issues at our deputy high commission in Lagos and our high commission in Islamabad respectively.
	Many Pakistani's are dual nationals who obtain a passport in the UK but live for a large part of the year in Pakistan. Consular officials estimate that there may be times when the actual figure of British passport holders residing in Pakistan could be as high as 80,000.

Burma

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations she has made to the Government of Burma about actions by the Burmese army against the Karen, Karenni and Shan peoples.

Ian McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 16 May 2006,  Official Report, column 893W, and the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe (Mr. Hoon) gave on 23 May 2006,  Official Report, columns 1626-27W.

Burma

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her assessment is of the prospects for the release of Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The Government condemn the Burmese regime's decision to extend the house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi. The Burmese Government have given no indication that she is likely to be released in the near future.
	I issued a statement on 31 May expressing the Government's concern about the continued detention of Aung San Suu Kyi, calling for her immediate release and the release of all other prisoners of conscience in Burma.
	The statement can be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth office website at: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPagec=Pagecid=1007029391629a=KArticleaid=1148473573847.

Burma

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have to engage with Burmese authorities following the recent visit to Burma of the UN Under Secretary General for Political Affairs.

Ian McCartney: The Government have no plans to engage with the Burmese authorities regarding the visit of the UN Under Secretary General for Political Affairs. The Government will continue to work with the UN and international partners to encourage the Burmese Government to bring about national reconciliation and the restoration of democracy.

Colombia

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment her Department has made of the human rights situation in Colombia.

Geoff Hoon: We keep the human rights situation in Colombia under constant review and frequently raise specific human rights cases with the relevant Colombian authorities. We remain concerned about the situation faced by civil society in Colombia. While the human rights situation clearly remains unacceptable, we feel that some progress has been made and it is important to recognise this. Figures for 2005 demonstrate that the number of murders, kidnappings, displacements and massacres generally decreased by comparison with those for 2004. Much more needs to done, however. The UK's objective is to support both the Government of Colombia and civil society through projects that promote human rights, democracy and good governance.

Colombia

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State forForeign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations her Department has made to the Government of Colombia about the human rights situation in Colombia.

Geoff Hoon: We make frequent representations to the Colombian Government on human rights issues, through our embassy in Bogota, through the EU and other international groupings, and in contacts with visiting Colombian officials in London. We also regularly raise specific cases of concern with the Colombian Government. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, most recently did so with Foreign Minister Barco of Colombia on 12 May in the margins of the European Union-Latin America and Caribbean summit in Vienna. Human rights are at the heartof our policy towards Colombia. We consistentlyurge the Colombian Government to implement recommendations arising from successive annual reports of the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights and have offered to help them to do so.

Colombia

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the prospects for peace in Colombia in the lead up to presidential elections.

Geoff Hoon: There are some encouraging signs. As indicated in the Ministerial Conclusions on Colombia of the Council of the European Union in October last year, we and other EU member states consider that the effective and transparent implementation of the Law on Justice and Peace, under which more than 30,000 paramilitaries in Colombia have now demobilised, will have a positive impact on peace-building in Colombia.
	The Colombian Government is talking actively with the National Liberation Army, a left-wing illegal armed group. The last round of talks took place in Cuba last month, and further talks are scheduled for later this year. However, the Colombian Government's recent efforts to begin preliminary talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the countries biggest illegal armed group, have been consistently rejected by the guerrillas. We hope that, after the elections, the incoming government will continue actively to promote peace in Colombia. We will continue to support Colombia in its efforts to tackle the inter-connected problems arising from the internal armed conflict, the trade in illegal drugs and human rights abuses.

Departmental Bills (Amendments)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will list the occasions when an amendment has been moved by (a) a Labour backbencher,  (b) an Opposition backbencher and  (c) an Opposition front bench spokesman to a Bill sponsored by her Department that has been accepted by her Department during the 2005-06 Session; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: There have been no such occasions. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has led on two Government Bills in the current Session. The European Union (Accessions) Bill passed through both Houses without amendment and has received Royal Assent. The European Union Bill has been read the first time in this House and has been printed, but has not made further progress.

Eid-Ul-Adha

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff from her Department attended the Civil Service Islamic Society Eid-Ul-Adha event in London in 2005; and what the total cost was to her Department of their attendance.

Geoff Hoon: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will write to the hon. Member with details of the Civil Service Islamic Society Eid-Ul-Adha event. Copies of her letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Ethiopia/Eritrea

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the British Government have made to  (a) the USA,  (b) the EU,  (c) the UN,  (d) the African Union and  (e) Nigeria as guarantors of the final and binding Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission ruling in 2001; what steps the British Government have taken directly in relation to the two countries to ensure that this agreement is implemented; what role the five guarantors have in such implementation; and what steps she is taking to reduce the tension arising as a result of the non-implementation of the agreement.

Ian McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the Ethiopia-Eritrea border dispute with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Alpha Konare, on 22 May. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, met the US Assistant Secretary of State on 16 May and Alpha Konare on 22 May and discussed a range of issues including the Ethiopia-Eritrea border dispute. Officials regularly discuss the question with EU colleagues at Africa working groups, and we play an active part in the preparation of relevant UN Security Council Resolutions; the most recent of which was agreed on 31 May. Nigeria is not a witness to the Algiers Agreement.
	The witnesses to the Algiers Agreement met in New York in February, preparing the way for meetings of the Boundary Commission to resume in London.
	Bilaterally we continue to urge both parties to implement the Boundary Commission's decision and to demarcate their common frontier. We continue to press Eritrea to lift its restrictions on the UN Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea to allow it to fulfil its mandate. Alongside our commitment to the Boundary Commission decision, we urge on both sides and at the UN Security Council steps to normalise relations on either side of the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Ethiopia/Eritrea

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Government of Ethiopia on the border dispute with Eritrea over Badme; what the Ethiopian Government's position was on the issue; when she expects demarcation to begin in and around Badme; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, raised the Ethiopia-Eritrea border dispute with the new Ethiopian ambassador on 14 March and our ambassador in Addis Ababa discussed it with Prime Minister Meles on 20 May.
	It is not for the Government to comment on the Ethiopian Government's position on this issue. The Ethiopian Government has engaged in two meetings of the Ethiopia Eritrea Boundary Commission in London to discuss border demarcation and further discussions are planned.
	We continue to urge both parties to implement the Boundary Commission's decision and to demarcate their common frontier. In this context, we have taken an active role in the UN Security Council which confirmed, on 31 May (UN Security Council Resolution 1681), commitment to both resolution of the border demarcation and normalisation of relations between both countries on either side of the border.

EU External Relations

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the concept paper on EU external relations tabled by the Commission President.

Kim Howells: The Commission President,Mr. Barroso, has yet to submit to the full Commission his paper on the EU's external relations. However, I understand that he plans to do this on 7 June 2006 and to then put the paper before the June European Council on 15-16 June 2006.
	We will of course set out the Government's view of the paper in an explanatory memorandum to the House, once we have received it.

European Constitution

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what written submission the UK Government  (a) has made and  (b) plans to make in advance of discussions on a European Constitution at the Council of Ministers Meeting on 27th May.

Geoff Hoon: The Government did not produce any written submission in advance of the Klosterneuburg informal meeting, which took place on 27-28 May.

Farsi Broadcasting

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps she is taking to encourage provision of television and radio broadcasts in Farsi by the BBC.

Ian McCartney: I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary (Mr. Straw) to the hon. Member for South-West Hertfordshire (Mr. Gauke) on 17 March 2006,  Official Report, column 2531W.
	The BBC World Service already provides a dedicated radio and online vernacular language service in Farsi. In October 2005, it announced its intention to also explore the development of a Farsi TV service as part of its 2010 strategy for a tri-media presence in its priority languages. BBC World Service is currently assessing the costs and benefits of launching such a service and will present its findings to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Honours

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will list the individuals who are not UK citizens who were awarded honours in the period 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2003; and what  (a) the date of announcement,  (b) the honour concerned and  (c) the reason for the award was in each case.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 18 May 2006
	As the information requested is lengthy, I will arrange for the information to be placed in the Library of the House, and will send a copy directly to the hon. Member.
	As honorary awards, to citizens where Her Majesty the Queen is not Head of State, are not formally announced, the date of the Queen's formal approval of such awards has been given.

Iran

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of which countries supply arms to the Iranian armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: Iran has traditionally sourced defence equipment from a broad range of supplier states. Iran's last return to the UN Register of Conventional Arms, in 1998, lists Russia as their main supplier of major conventional arms platforms and equipment. More recent estimates by a variety of independent researchers indicate that the great majority of Iranian arms imports continue to come from Russia. Policy on the export of such equipment from the United Kingdom to Iran was set out in the written answers from the then Foreign Secretary (Lord Hurd) to the then hon. Member for Finchley (Hartley Booth) on 1 March 1993,  Official Report, column 8, and the then Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister (Tony Lloyd) to my hon. Friend the then Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Andy King) on28 January 1998,  Official Report, columns 273-74, respectively.

Iran

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes to the access of IAEA inspectors to nuclear sites in Iran have taken place since January; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: As reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency to the Board of Governorson 27 February 2006, Iran informed the Agency on6 February 2006 that it would suspend its voluntary implementation of the provisions of the Additional Protocol pending its ratification. It therefore requested that the Agency's inspector presence in the Islamic Republic of Iran for the verification activities should be scheduled only on the basis of the Safeguards Agreement and that all the Agency's containment and surveillance measures which were in place beyond the normal Agency safeguards measures should be removed by mid February 2006.
	The international community has made clear that it regards implementation of the provisions of the Additional Protocol by Iran as one of the confidence building measures deemed necessary by the Board for Iran to implement in order to resolve outstanding questions and build confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme.

Iran

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary ofState for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whatthe Government's policy is on the proposal byDr. ElBaradei for the application of the North Korean model of security guarantees and energy aid to negotiations with Iran to encourage an end to enrichment and acceptance of tougher inspections.

Kim Howells: When Javier Solana, High Representative for European Common Foreign and Security Policy, and the Foreign Ministers of UK, France, Germany, US, Russia and China, the E3 plus 3, met in New York on 8 May we agreed on a twin-track strategy, whereby we should present Iran with a choice, between the benefits that would flow from co-operating with the international community, or the isolation and costs that would follow an Iranian decision not to respond to the well-known requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors and the UN Security Council. Officials, including at a meeting of E3 plus political directors in London on 25 May, have been making good progress on both elements of this strategy. These are complex, sensitive diplomatic negotiations and it would be inappropriate to comment on what might be included in either element.

Iraq

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the extent of corruption by local officials in  (a) Al Basrah,  (b) Al Muthanna,  (c) Dhi Qar and  (d) Maysan Province in Iraq.

Margaret Beckett: We do not systematically collect province-by-province information on the extent of corruption of local officials in Iraq.
	We are working to increase institutional capacity, transparency and accountability in the four southern provinces. The Department for International Development (DFID) has in place a 20.5 million project to build the capacity and effectiveness of the southern Provincial Governorates. This has provided support for, among other things, establishing Provincial Committees for Reconstruction and Development in all four provinces and building up the financial management and budgeting capacity of provincial institutions. DFID also has in place a6.7 million project to strengthen independent broadcast media in the south, helping to hold the local government to account.
	The UK, alongside the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and other donors, continues to work with the Iraqi Government to improve accountability and transparency in Iraq's public finances. This includes efforts to encourage Iraq to adopt international legal frameworks and standards in resource management, including the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. This is a set of principles designed to ensure that the revenues from extractive industries such as oil are transparently managed and contribute to sustainable development and poverty reduction. For further information, the hon. Member can visit the following website: www.eitransparency.org.

Iraq

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in the establishment of the Joint Committee to Transfer Security Responsibility in Iraq; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The Joint Committee to Transfer Security Responsibility from Multi-National Forces in Iraq (MNF-I) to the Iraqi civilian authorities was established by the then Iraqi Prime Minister Jafa'ari in July 2005. Membership includes Iraq's Interior and Defence Ministers, the National Security Adviser, the US and UK Ambassadors, the Commander of the MNF-I and the Deputy Commanding General.
	Its remit is to describe the conditions required for a transfer of security responsibilities, at the provincial level, to Iraqi civilian control. These conditions are based on four broad categories: an assessment of the terrorist threat level; Iraqi Security Forces' ability to take on the security task; the capacity of provincial bodies to cope with the changed security environment; and the posture and support available from MNF-I.
	As my right hon. Friend the then Defence Secretary (John Reid) informed the House on 13 March 2006,  Official Report, columns 1151-53, the Joint Committee has begun the assessment phase to determine whether conditions have been met for some provinces in Iraq to begin the handover process. This will be taken forward with the new Government. In due course, we expect the Committee to make recommendations to the new Iraqi Prime Minister on which provinces or provincial capitals are ready for a transfer in security responsibilities.

Iraq

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what milestones have been set out for  (a) police and  (b) military reform in (i) Al Basrah,(ii) Al Muthanna, (iii) Dhi Qar and (iv) Maysan provinces in Iraq; and what progress has been achieved.

Margaret Beckett: Milestones have been set in five areas against which progress in the reform of the Iraqi police service can be measured:
	Numbers trained,
	Police support infrastructure,
	Intelligence capability,
	Operational capability and
	Public support.
	The following table outlines progress to date against the above benchmarks in Muthanna, Maysan and Basra. Responsibility for policing in Dhi Qar lies with the Italian contingent.
	Military reform in Iraq is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence. I will ask him to write to the hon. Member separately on this matter.
	
		
			  Objectives  Basra  Maysan  Muthanna 
			 Training: 85 per cent. of the force is trained and most training is done by Iraqi instructors 58 per cent. have been trained (9,520 from a target of 16,298. Iraqi trainers are conducting some of the training 86 per cent. of officers have been trained.(3,521 from a target of 4,066). Corps of 9 Iraq trainers 99 per cent. of officers trained (1,907 from a target of 1,924). The provincial training academy is developing very well and runs courses for new recruits 
			 
			 Police support infrastructure: Communication and administrative practices are working effectively and 85 per cent. of the vehicles, weapons and infrastructure that the force needs have been provided 67 per cent. equipment issued, but progress in training and mentoring has been hampered by the security situation and non co-operation of the council 76 per cent. is of equipment issued. Ongoing mentoring of in admin communications and business processes 87 per cent. issued. Basic self-sufficiency in finances established. Other Administrations and Communications consolidated and being refined 
			 
			 Intelligence Capability: Forces have a criminal intelligence capability and are able to undertake intelligence led operations unaided Intelligence investigators are undergoing training Initial Intel Capability Established Initial Intelligence Capability established. Some intelligence led operations undertaken 
			 
			 Operational capability: effective command and control systems in place; the force is operating effectively with the Iraqi Army and they have specialist support and criminal investigation units Liaison improving between the Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army through the establishment of an effective Permanent Joint Operations Centre. Investigative capability needs development Work ongoing to improve Command and control, liaison with the army and investigations capacity Effective Command and Control and good liaison with Iraqi Army 
			 
			 Public support: more developed interaction with criminal justice system and media; improved human rights awareness reflected in working practices; improving record of investigation and removal of corrupt or inefficient police; complaints system working Human Rights Dept. established and delivering training. Community Policing established and effective Effective media department. Further work needed on interface with the criminal justice system and internal discipline Good media relations dept operating. Basic self-sufficiency in Internal Affairs re complaints of misbehaviour and malpractice 
			  Note: Responsibility for police training in Dhi Qar lies with the Italian contingent.

Kyrgyzstan

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will listthe  (a) dates and  (b) duration of each visit of theUK ambassador to Kyrgyzstan to Kyrgyzstan since1 January 2005.

Geoff Hoon: Our ambassador accredited to Kyrgyzstan is based in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Since1 January 2005, he has visited Kyrgyzstan on 10 occasionssix times in 2005: 24-26 January, 24-25 March, 12-13 April, 6-8 June, 28-30 September and 28-29 November; and four times in 2006: 26-27 January, 14-16 February, 23-25 April and 22-24 May.
	In addition to these visits, the Deputy Head of Mission has been to Kyrgyzstan on nine occasions during this period. Other members of the embassy team, including the Defence Attach, have also visited on numerous occasions.

Libya

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans she has to improve relations with Libya; and if she will consider the merits of a visit to Tripoli.

Kim Howells: The Government are committed to improving bilateral relations with Libya. Since my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's visit to Tripoli in 2004, the first by a British Prime Minister since 1943, there has been continued high-level contact. Most recently my right hon. Friend the former Home Secretary (Mr. Clarke), my hon. Friend the Minister for Higher Education (Bill Rammell) and my hon. Friend the former Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs (Ian Pearson) visited this year. Through these visits and contacts between officials we are working to improve relations across a range of areas, including health, education, trade and economy, counter terrorism and prison reform. With our EU partners we are working with Libya on measures to combat illegal migration, and to resolve the situation of the Bulgarian and Palestinian medical staff detained in Libya including providing assistance to those affected by the outbreak of HIV in Benghazi.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is still assessing her diary commitments. Her travel plans are currently under review and she is unable to commit to a visit at this point.

Maldives

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the trial and sentencing of Mohamed Nasheed, the Chairperson of the Maldivian Democratic Party.

Kim Howells: We continue to be seriously concerned about human rights in the Maldives, in particular the use of the justice system in an apparently political manner. My hon. Friend the then Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs (Ian Pearson) spoke with Dr. Shaheed, Foreign Minister of the Maldives on 3 May. He welcomed the movement towards democratic reform in the Maldives but also raised the issue of jailed opposition activists, including their leader Mohamed Nasheed. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have had a number of recent discussions in London and Male with Maldivian Ministers at which they continued to press on the cases of Mohamed Nasheed and others.
	The proper implementation of the Roadmap for the Reform Agenda would reflect the Government's stated commitment to democratic values and serve to promote an atmosphere in which all political groups in the Maldives can engage in dialogue on reform. We convey this message regularly to the Government of the Maldives bilaterally, and together with EU and other international partners. We also strongly support the efforts by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Secretary-General's Special Envoy, to help facilitate constitutional change.

Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total cost was of overnight accommodation for Ministers of State in her Department on foreign visits in each of the last three years.

Geoff Hoon: Under the terms of the Ministerial Code and Travel by Minister's, when travelling on official business Ministers are expected to make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements.
	Since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing 500 or more during each financial year; this information includes accommodation costs. Copies are available in the Library of the House.
	For Ministers below Cabinet rank, collecting the detailed information requested could not be done without incurring disproportionate cost.

Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions Ministers of State in her Department stayed overnight in  (a) five star,  (b) four star and  (c) three star hotels on foreign visits in each of the last three years.

Geoff Hoon: Under the terms of the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, when travelling on official business Ministers are expected to make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements.
	Since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing 500 or more during each financial year; this information includes accommodation costs. Copies are available in the Library of the House.
	For Ministers below Cabinet rank, collecting the detailed information requested could not be done without incurring disproportionate cost.

Nigeria

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has had made of  (a) levels of religious tension,  (b) the incidence of attacks upon churches and  (c) the use of Shari'ah Law in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.

Ian McCartney: Conflict and tensions between religious communities in Nigeria remains a serious issue. We are funding the work of Coventry Cathedral's International Centre for Reconciliation to address religious tensions in Plateau State, which has been successful in reducing the level of violence there.
	The decision to adopt Sharia Law is for Nigerians. We have made clear our view that extreme punishments such as stoning and amputation are inconsistent with international human rights standards. We are also funding work to ensure the correct and humane application of Sharia Law in those states that have adopted it.

Overseas Detainees

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK citizens detained in overseas gaols had a last residential address in  (a) the East Midlands and  (b) Leicester East.

Kim Howells: As British nationals detained overseas are not required to inform local consular officials of their last UK residential address, I cannot provide the information requested by my right hon. Friend.

Plan-D Events

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what proportion of the sum allocated by the EU Commission to fund its Plan-D events and activities in the UK during 2006 has been  (a) spent and  (b) allocated to specific future events;
	(2)  what measures her Department has taken to ensure that the sum allocated by the European Commission to fund Plan-D events in the UK during 2006 is available on a fair basis to each part of the whole political spectrum of views.

Geoff Hoon: No specific allocation of financial resources was made to each member state under the Commission's Plan-D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate. Most Plan-D activities fall under the Commission's Relations with citizen and the media programme in the UK. For 2006 a budget of1.7 million has been made available for the Commission UK representation's operational activities under this budget heading (the 1.8 million figure that I stated to the European Scrutiny Committee was the amount requested by the representation). So far 1,011,700 has been allocated, of which 354,900 has been spent. The Commission representation are in the process of allocating the rest of the budget with a view to spending all of it by the end of the year.

Plan-D Events

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  when her Department will present the synthesis of the initial results of the national debate in the UK on the future of the EU required under the Commission's Plan-D document;
	(2)  why her Department did not meet the Commission deadline of April 2006 for the submission of a synthesis of the initial results of the UK national debate on the future of the EU, as set out in the Commission's Plan-D document.

Geoff Hoon: I should like to clarify that the Commission's Plan-D does not impose any obligations on member states. Following the Interim Report on the National Debates During the Reflection Period on the Future of Europe of 14 December 2005 by the UK and Austrian EU presidencies, the Austrian presidency and General Secretariat of the Council requested further written feedback from member states by April in response to a questionnaire. We provided a response to the presidency and General Secretariat of the Council in April.
	A copy of the questionnaire and the UK response and the report of the presidency and the General Secretariat of the Council on member states' information and communication activities during the reflection period will be placed in the Library of the House on 15 June. A copy of the Interim Report on the National Debates During the Reflection Period on the Future of Europe was placed in the Library of the House on 16 January 2006.

Plan-D Events

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will list the visits to the UK made by  (a) the President of the European Commission and  (b) other Commissioners since the publication of the Commission's Plan-D document in October 2005.

Geoff Hoon: European Commissioners regularly visit member states as part of their work. The Government do not keep a record of Commissioner visits tothe UK, but figures from the Commission's Representation in the UK show that there have been 60 Commissioner visits to the UK since October 2005.

Plan-D Events

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what progress her Department has made in working with the European Commission for the appointment of European goodwill ambassadors on the UN model as proposed in the Commission's Plan-D document;
	(2)  if she will list the individuals who have been considered by her Department for appointment as European goodwill ambassadors.

Geoff Hoon: The European Goodwill Ambassadors initiative as proposed in the European Commission's Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate, is still at an early stage. Therefore to date, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not considered any individuals for appointment as goodwill ambassadors.

Slovenia

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has received requesting an apology from the Government for the repatriation in 1945 of Slovene Home Guard soldiers to Yugoslavia; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has received a number of representations on the repatriation of the Slovene Home Guard, including letters from individuals and an early day motion in the House. We have received no communications on the subject from the Slovene Government. The Second World War and its aftermath brought tragedy in its wake for many people. It is right that we remember the suffering of the Slovene nation during this time.

Sri Lanka

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on UK-Sri Lankan relations.

Kim Howells: The long-standing relations between the UK and Sri Lanka are good and also wide-ranging. They are maintained through regular contacts at all levels. The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister visited London in March 2006 and met my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Hilary Benn), my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary (Mr. Straw) and my right hon. Friend the then Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality (Mr. McNulty). Topics discussed included the peace process, tsunami reconstruction, immigration issues and countering Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam fundraising. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Tessa Jowell) visited Sri Lanka in December 2005 and met the Sri Lankan Prime Minister. My hon. Friend the then Minister for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs (Ian Pearson) visited Sri Lanka in January 2006 and met representatives of the Government and Tamil political parties.
	We have made clear our continuing support for a peaceful negotiated settlement to the ethnic conflict that meets the legitimate aspirations of all Sri Lankans. The Government provide funding for projects through the Global Conflict Prevention Pool to support this aim.

Sri Lanka

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of reports of extra-judicial killings by Government security forces in Sri Lanka;
	(2)  whether her Department has made representations to the Government of Sri Lanka about alleged human rights abuses by Government forces in Sri Lanka.

Kim Howells: We take these reports extremely seriously and have raised with members of the Sri Lankan Government our concerns about human rights. We have made clear that there should be a full and transparent inquiry by the Government into suspected extra- judicial killings in which the safety of witnesses must be guaranteed.

Sri Lanka

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the involvement of Sri Lankan security forces in extra-judicial execution of Tamil civilians; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We are deeply concerned at reports that members of Government security forces may have been involved in the deaths of civilians and the intimidation of the civilian population. The Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission has the task of investigating these reports, we strongly endorse their work.
	We take such reports extremely seriously and have raised with members of the Sri Lankan Government our concerns about human rights. We have made clear that there should be a full and transparent enquiry by the Government into suspected extra-judicial killings in which the safety of witnesses must be guaranteed. It is important for the Government and the military to adhere fully to international humanitarian law, and accepted rules of conduct and engagement. They must demonstrate that no-one is above the law and that members of the armed forces do not enjoy impunity. We are also concerned at the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's failure to halt the violence despite their public commitments at the peace talks in Geneva in February to do so. Both sides must follow through on the implementation of their commitments. Violence against the civilian population can never be justified.

Sri Lanka

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what monitoring she is undertaking of the conflict in Sri Lanka.

Kim Howells: Under the terms of the cease-fire agreement, the Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission was established to monitor the cease-fire and investigate and record violations by either side. We fully support the work of the Monitoring Mission. Our high commission in Colombo monitors the conflict closely and we receive regular reports from them. We also fund projects in Sri Lanka, through the Global Conflict Prevention Pool, which monitor the levels of violence and seek to mediate on local sources of tension. We are deeply concerned at the recent escalation in violence in Sri Lanka and call on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the government to return to the negotiating table and live up to the commitments they made at talks in Geneva in February this year.

Uganda

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the fairness of the February 2006 presidential election in Uganda, with particular regard to the recent ruling by the Supreme Court; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: Independent election observers monitoring the February 2006 elections in Uganda raised concerns that a level playing field was not established before the elections took place. However, there was consensus that despite some shortcomings on election day there was a high degree of transparency and voters were overall free to vote as they pleased. This is in line with the EU election observers interim statement. Their final report has yet to issue.
	On 6 April the Ugandan Supreme Court's judgment highlighted many of the concerns raised by election monitors. But in a majority verdict they also concluded these problems did not substantially affect the result. The detailed opinions underlying their judgment have not been released.

Uganda

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the security situation in Uganda on the 2007 Commonwealth meeting; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: As set out in our travel advice, Uganda shares with neighbouring countries a threat from terrorism and we advise against travel to north and north eastern Uganda because of a rebel insurgency and tribal clashes. Some border areas with the Democratic Republic of Congo are unstable but most visits to Uganda are trouble free and Kampala is a relatively safe city. The travel advice for Uganda can be found on the Foreign and CommonwealthOffice website at: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket%2FXcelerate%2FShowPagec=Pagecid=1007029390590a=KCountryAdviceaid=1013618386550.
	The Commonwealth Secretariat are responsible for making assessments of the security situation with regard to Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Uganda in 2007. They visited Uganda most recently in April 2006.

Western Sahara

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice she offered British MEPs on how to vote on the recent EU-Morocco fishing deal in the waters of the western Sahara; and what action the British Government proposes to take to protect the rights of the Saharian people.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did not advise UK Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) how to vote on the EU/Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreement.
	Officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs provided UK MEPs with briefing on the Agreement and on the UK's position.
	The United Nations defines Western Sahara as a non-self governing territory. As the de facto administering power, Morocco is obliged under international law to ensure that economic activities under its administration do not adversely affect the interests of the people of the territory. The Fisheries Agreement, under Article 10, envisages the establishment of a Joint Committee to monitor the implementation of the terms of the Agreement, including the impact it has on the local population. The UK will follow its work and conclusions closely.

Barts/Broomfield Hospitals PFI

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 23 March 2006,  Official Report, column 577W, on Barts/Broomfield Hospitals PFI, to the hon. Member for Cheadle (Mark Hunter), when departmental officials will write to NHS trusts letting them know how the private finance initiative reappraisal process will work; and if she will place a copy of this letter in the Library.

Andy Burnham: Trusts have had the broad nature of the reappraisal exercise, including a summary of the key indicators being used by the Department, outlined to them in a number of meetings with officials. The exercise is already under-way, and over the coming months the lead official responsible for the exercise will be visiting all trusts with private finance initiative projects.
	These arrangements were confirmed in the letter from Sir Ian Carruthers to all national health service organisations on the 10 May 2006. A copy of this letter has been placed in the Library.

Capital Projects

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by Burntwood Lichfield and Tamworth Primary Care Trust on capital projects in the Tamworth constituency in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table. Total capital expenditure by Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth Primary Care Trust (PCT) 2001-02 to 2004-05.
	
		
			   000 
			 2001-02 0 
			 2002-03 17,804 
			 2003-04 15,327 
			 2004-05 2,506 
			  Notes:  1. Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth PCT was established on 1 April 2001  2. 2004-05 is the latest year for which information is available.   Sources:  Audited summarisation schedules of the Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth PCT 2001-02 to 2004-05

Care Homes

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of people in care homes paid top-up fees in each region of England in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: This information is not collected centrally in the form requested. However, in the UK wide survey of care homes conducted by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) for their report Care Homes for Older People in the UK, published in May 2005, the OFT found that the average care home in the United Kingdom had 32 places of which seven were paid for by a combination of the local authority and a third party top-up.
	We increased total resources available for social services by an average of 6 per cent. a year in real terms over the three years 2003-04 to 2005-06. These increases follow a 20 per cent. increase in the level of funding for social services between 1996-97 and 2002-03. This enables local councils to purchase the services to meet their residents' needs.

Dentistry

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much will be allocated to the North West strategic health authority for dentistry in  (a) 2006-07,  (b) 2007-08 and  (c) 2008-09.

Rosie Winterton: The main element of national health service dental services are the primary dental care services provided by dentists working within the general dental service, or personal dental service. From 1 April 2006 all primary dental care services are managed locally, and the Department has allocated the sums shown in the table to primary care trusts (PCTs) in the area of the proposed North West strategic health authority (SHA) to support primary dental care in 2006-07. As well as the net primary dental service resource allocations awarded to PCTs, the table indicates the gross budget and associated patient charge income that might be expected to be available to each PCT.
	Net primary dental service allocations for 2007-08 and 2008-09 will be announced later.
	PCTs decide locally what proportion of their general NHS resource allocation should be awarded to hospital and community dental services, or whether any additional funding should be directed to primary dental care services.
	
		
			  Primary dental service allocations, North West SHA, 2006-07 
			   
			  PCT  Gross primary dental service budget  Expected patient dental charge income  Net primary dental service allocation( 1) 
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan 17,602,466 5,158,289 12,444,000 
			 Bebington and West Wirral 6,226,387 2,550,061 3,676,000 
			 Birkenhead and Wallasey 14,447,946 5,122,871 9,325,000 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 8,754,008 1,702,986 7,051,000 
			 Blackpool 7,172,278 2,302,558 4,870,000 
			 Bolton 11,644,961 3,001,079 8,644,000 
			 Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale 11,554,735 2,117,703 9,437,000 
			 Bury 10,854,198 2,673,946 8,180,000 
			 Carlisle and District 5,026,042 1,782,379 3,244,000 
			 Central Cheshire 12,951,298 3,964,221 8,987,000 
			 Central Liverpool 12,419,045 1,903,304 10,516,000 
			 Central Manchester 9,447,734 1,532,950 7,915,000 
			 Cheshire West 9,539,578 2,442,551 7,097,000 
			 Chorley and South Ribble 9,162,204 2,910,573 6,252,000 
			 Eastern Cheshire 11,730,572 3,818,513 7,912,000 
			 Eden Valley 2,914,434 946,131 1,968,000 
			 Ellesmere Port and Neston 4,106,753 875,438 3,231,000 
			 Fylde 4,749,298 1,701,243 3,048,000 
			 Halton 5,676,761 1,421,347 4,255,000 
			 Heywood and Middleton 3,276,112 1,154,679 2,121,000 
			 Hyndburn and Ribble Valley 4,193,437 689,337 3,504,000 
			 Knowsley 6,081,885 1,226,065 4,856,000 
			 Morecambe Bay 13,802,811 4,390,064 9,413,000 
			 North Liverpool 8,186,286 1,715,471 6,471,000 
			 North Manchester 8,241,470 1,624,418 6,617,000 
			 Oldham 11,012,088 2,815,885 8,196,000 
			 Preston 6,951,495 1,786,215 5,165,000 
			 Rochdale 4,963,466 1,250,009 3,713,000 
			 Salford 13,087,352 2,754,823 10,333,000 
			 South Liverpool 4,048,564 1,193,812 2,855,000 
			 South Manchester 6,457,458 1,380,138 5,077,000 
			 South Sefton 7,360,250 1,327,347 6,033,000 
			 Southport and Formby 7,454,219 2,093,612 5,361,000 
			 St. Helens 9,459,367 2,411,272 7,048,000 
			 Stockport 16,694,808 5,463,159 11,232,000 
			 Tameside and Glossop 13,284,656 3,553,961 9,731,000 
			 Trafford North 4,174,013 1,295,351 2,879,000 
			 Trafford South 7,064,968 2,394,968 4,670,000 
			 Warrington 10,577,339 3,467,339 7,110,000 
			 West Cumbria 5,739,957 1,946,624 3,793,000 
			 West Lancashire 8,129,005 1,715,409 6,414,000 
			 Wyre 5,665,506 1,837,507 3,828,000 
			 Total 361,887,208 97,415,608 264,472,000 
			 (1) Rounded to nearest 000

Dentistry

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists per 1,000 of population there are in  (a) Bolton, South-East constituency,  (b) the North West and  (c) England.

Rosie Winterton: The numbers of dentists with a general dental services (CDS) contract or personal dental services (PDS) agreement per 1,000 of population as at 31 December 2005 for England, Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority (SHA) and Bolton Primary Care Trust (PCT) are shown in the table. Population data at constituency level are not available.
	
		
			   Number 
			 England 0.418 
			 Greater Manchester SHA 0.413 
			 Bolton PCT 0.404 
			  Notes:  1. Official 2005 population data are not yet available. The figures in the table have therefore been estimated using Office for National Statistics 2004 mid-year population estimates based on the 2001 census as these are the latest available.  2. Dentists with CDS or PDS contracts provide varying amounts of NHS treatment. Information concerning the amount of time dedicated to NHS work by individual dentists are not centrally available.  3. Dentists consist of principals, assistants and trainees. Prison contracts have been excluded.  4. The postcode of the dental practice was used to allocate dentists to specific geographic areas. PCT and SHA areas have been defined using the Office for National Statistics All Fields Postcode Directory.   Source:  NHS Business Services Authority and Office for National Statistics.

Dentistry

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists in each Birmingham constituency  (a) have and  (b) have not taken up the new NHS dental contract.

Rosie Winterton: Information on the number of dentists who have signed the new contract is not available centrally. We do, however, have some provisional information that covers contracts. A contract may be for more than one dentist, so cannot be broken down further to individual dentist level.
	
		
			  Primary care trust  Contracts signed  Contracts still in discussion  Contracts rejected  Contracts signed 
			   No.  Approx units of dental activity (UDA) value  No.  Approx UDA value  No.  Approx UDA value  %  No. signed without dispute  No. signed in dispute  % 
			 East Birmingham 30 382,676 0 0 0 0 0.0 14 16 53.3 
			 North Birmingham 20 232,566 0 0 5 5,563 2.3 14 6 30.0 
			 Solihull 35 247,656 0 0 3 1,503 0.6 8 27 77.1 
			 Dudley Beacon and Castle 16 198,442 0 0 0 0 0.0 16 0 0.0 
			 Dudley, South 40 345,700 0 0 4 35,064 9.2 37 3 7.5 
			 Walsall 35 377,201 0 0 0 0 0.0 30 5 14.3 
			 Wolverhampton City 46 451,843 0 0 3 2,847 0.6 36 10 21.7 
			 Heart of Birmingham 50 572,244 0 0 2 8,936 1.5 23 27 54.0 
			 South Birmingham 76 623,556 0 0 9 80,912 11.5 39 37 48.7 
			 Sandwell 49 637,384 0 0 0 0 0.0 3 46 93.9 
			 Total 397 4,069,268 0 0 26 134,825 3.2 220 177 44.6 
			  Note:  The information provided is not validated. It represents a snapshot of the position in early April. 
		
	
	A contract may be for either a practice or an individual dentist.
	PCTs are working with dentists to resolve as many disputes as possible locally.

Diabetes

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of  (a) adults and  (b) children have Type 2 diabetes; and what the figures were in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The Health Survey for England provides estimates of doctor-diagnosed diabetes. We are unable to provide figures of the percentage of children who have diabetes, as this information is not collected for children in the survey. However, we can provide the prevalence of adults with type two diabetes in England, in 2003, by sex. This data is shown in the following table. Data from previous Health Surveys' is not comparable to the 2003 data.
	
		
			  Prevalence of doctor-diagnosed type 2 diabetes of adults( 1) , by sex, 2003, England 
			   Number of doctor-diagnosed diabetes  Percentage of doctor-diagnosed diabetes 
			 Men  3.8 
			 Women  3.1 
			
			  Bases (unweighted)   
			 Men 6,602  
			 Women 8,234  
			
			  Bases (weighted)   
			 Men 7,202  
			 Women 7,634  
			 (1) Adults aged 16 and over.   Source:  Health Survey for England 2003.

Eating Disorders

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many and what percentage of people were estimated to have an eating disorder in each of the regions in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how many deaths in each of the regions have had eating disorders recorded as a contributory factor in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The number and percentage of people estimated to have an eating disorder in each of the regions in England in each of the last three years is shown in Tables 1, 2 and 3. The data refer only to patients who were admitted to hospital and who had a primary diagnosis of eating disorder, but no data are available for patients with eating disorders but who were not admitted to hospital.
	Corroborative data are not available which attributes the cause of death wholly or partly to an eating disorder, and where there has also been admittance to hospital with a primary diagnosis of eating disorder. The cause of death in hospital may be unrelated to the primary diagnosis, which provides the main reason for a patient's admission only.
	
		
			  Table 1: All diagnoses count of patients with eating disorders (ICD-10 F50) and as a percentage of the total population, NHS hospitals, 2002-03 
			  Government office region of residence  All diagnoses of patients with eating disorders admitted into NHS hospitals 2002-03  Estimated population for 2002  All diagnoses of patients with eating disorders admitted into NHS hospitals as a percentage of the total population 2002-03 
			 North East 111 2,538,005 0.00 
			 North West 307 6,783,485 0.00 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 213 4,993,126 0.00 
			 East Midlands 186 4,222,937 0.00 
			 West Midlands 209 5,304,144 0.00 
			 East of England 266 5,422,397 0.00 
			 London 340 7,371,239 0.00 
			 South East 440 8,043,971 0.01 
			 South West 328 4,967,549 0,01 
			 Other (Non-England and unknown) 55   
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: All diagnoses count of patients with eating disorders (ICD-10 F50) and as a percentage of the total population, NHS hospitals, 2003-04 
			  Government office region of residence  All diagnoses of patients with eating disorders admitted into NHS hospitals 2003-04  Estimated population for 2003  All diagnoses of patients with eating disorders admitted into NHS hospitals as a percentage of the total population 2003-04 
			 North East 1,359 2,539,363 0.01 
			 North West 302 6,804,532 0.00 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 213 5,009,306 0.00 
			 East Midlands 193 4,252,294 0.00 
			 West Midlands 229 5,319,892 0.00 
			 East of England 249 5,462,918 0.00 
			 London 317 7,387,868 0.00 
			 South East 449 8,080,280 0.01 
			 South West 314 4,999,287 0.01 
			 Other (Non-England and unknown) 27   
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: All diagnoses count of patients with eating disorders (ICD-10 F50) and as a percentage of the total population, NHS hospitals 2004-05 
			  Government office region of residence  All diagnoses of patients with eating disorders admitted into NHS hospitals 2004-05  Estimated population for 2004  All diagnoses of patients with eating disorders admitted into NHS hospitals as a percentage of the total population 2004-05 
			 North East 129 2,545,073 0.01 
			 North West 329 6,827,170 0.00 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 194 5,038,849 0.00 
			 East Midlands 215 4,279,707 0.01 
			 West Midlands 221 5,334,006 0.00 
			 East of England 288 5,491,293 0.01 
			 London 362 7,428,590 0.00 
			 South East 439 8,110,242 0.01 
			 South West 311 5,038,200 0.01 
			 Other (Non-England and unknown) 55   
			  Notes:  1. All diagnoses count of patients: these figures represent a count of all patients where the diagnosis was mentioned in any of the 14 (seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in a HES record.  2. The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the HES data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.   Source:  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for Health and Social Care.

Fraser Day Hospital

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects Milton Keynes primary care trust's consultation on the closure of the Fraser day hospital to end; and who the consultees are.

Andy Burnham: Public consultation commenced on 8 May and is due to run for 90 days. Those being consulted include staff, patients, general public, voluntary organisations, Members of Parliament, local authorities, and local overview and scrutiny committees.

Health Services (Cornwall)

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of accident and emergency patients in Cornwall had a trolley wait of over four hours in the last period for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: Information on the percentage of patients not placed in a bed in a ward within four hours of a decision to admit, commonly referred to as a trolley wait, is reported by national health service trusts and published quarterly. Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust reported that 3.4 per cent. of patients were in this position for the period January to March 2006. This information is for admissions from type one (major) accident and emergency departments only.
	Further information is available on the Department's website at: www.performance.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity.

Hospices

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to increase the proportion of the costs of hospices contributed by the NHS.

Rosie Winterton: Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible within the national health service for commissioning and funding services for their resident population, including palliative care. The Government have met its commitment in the NHS Cancer Plan to provide an extra 50 million per annum for specialist palliative care. This represents a 40 per cent. increase in NHS funding over 2000 levels. PCTs, having assessed their local priorities, can invest more. This investment must be in line with local strategic plans and an assessment of need.
	The NHS is currently receiving the largest sustained increase in funding in its history. PCTs will be able to use these extra resources to deliver on both national and local priorities including, as they determine, palliative care.

Hospital Building

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the major hospitals building projects that  (a) are under way and  (b) have received building permission.

Andy Burnham: The following information lists the major hospital building projects that are under construction:
	University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire;
	East Lancashire Hospitals;
	Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership;
	Lewisham Hospital;
	Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals;
	Brighton and Sussex University;
	Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals;
	Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals;
	Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals;
	Leeds Teaching Hospitals;
	Central Manchester and Manchester Children's Hospitals;
	Sherwood Forest Hospitals;
	Portsmouth Hospitals; and
	Barts and The London Hospitals.
	All schemes are required to have secured outline and full planning permission as a condition of approval to proceed to construction.

Hospital Provision (Liverpool)

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she last reviewed the strategic provision of hospital provision in Liverpool; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: It is the responsibility of the Cheshire and Merseyside strategic health authority to build capacity and create a strategic framework for the improvement of the health service in Cheshire and Merseyside, including the provision of hospital services.

Insulin

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations she has received on the merits of the use of insulin inhalers.

Rosie Winterton: We have received a number of items of correspondence on inhaled insulin, from the manufacturer of inhaled insulin, from Members of Parliament on behalf of their constituents, and from people with diabetes, their relatives and carers. The correspondence relates to the recent interim decision by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence not to recommend inhaled insulin for the treatment of type one and type two diabetes, except in the context of clinical trials.

Islington Primary Care Trust

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total spending by Islington primary care trust was in each of the last five years; what those figures represent per capita; what the capita figures were for the rest of London in each year; and what the estimated figures are for 2006-07.

Ivan Lewis: The table shows total expenditure and expenditure per head by Islington primary care trust (PCT) and by organisations in London.
	
		
			   Islington PCT  London strategic health authorities (SHA) area 
			   Expenditure (000)  Expenditure per head ()  Expenditure per head () 
			 2002-03 260,897 1,444.14 1,186.77 
			 2003-04 261,761 1,448.92 1,315.78 
			 2004-05 313,248 1,721.45 1,441.33 
			  Notes:  1. Islington PCT did not come into existence until 1 April 2002.  2. Expenditure by strategic health authority area is taken as the total expenditure of the strategic health authority, and primary care trusts within the strategic health authority area.  3. Expenditure on general dental services and pharmaceutical services accounted for by the Dental Practice Board and Prescription Pricing Authority, respectively, are excluded. This expenditure cannot be included within the figures for the individual health bodies as they are not included in commissioner accounts.   Sources:  Audited summarisation forms of London SHAs 2002-03 to 2004-05. Audited summarisation schedules of London primary care trusts 2002-03 to 2004-05.

Language Assessments

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what language assessments are undertaken by non-UK trained  (a) medical and  (b) nursing staff before they are permitted to work in the NHS.

Rosie Winterton: Medical and nursing overseas applicants must be registered by the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) respectively before being permitted to work in the National health service. Both the GMC and the NMC require applicants from outside the European Economic Area to demonstrate competence in the English language by achieving a specific mark in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). NHS employees have a responsibility to satisfy themselves that doctors and nurses they employ are able to communicate effectively and may decide to test accordingly.

Lyme's Disease

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Department is providing for research into Lyme's disease in 2006-07; and how much was spent in each of the last three years.

Caroline Flint: The Department is funding research by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in two areas relating to Lyme disease: diagnosis and detection, and a survey of ticks.
	The HPA's Lyme disease specialist reference unit laboratory which undertakes routine diagnostic work, is conducting research in diagnosis and detection. The costs of the research work are financed from the core funding of the HPA and are not separately identifiable.
	A survey of ticks is being undertaken by HPA's centre for emergency preparedness and response. Funding for this is through HPA's grant in aid and the estimated costs for this work is as follows:
	
		
			   
			   Amount 
			 2006-07(1) 38,777 
			 2005-06 37,286 
			 2004-05 35,851 
			 (1) Full year projection 
		
	
	Figures are not available for 2003-04.

Medicine Disposal

Ken Purchase: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to prevent the inappropriate  (a) use and  (b) disposal of drugs following the death of a person in receipt of prescribed medicines.

Andy Burnham: A number of steps have been taken. As part of the new contractual framework that went live from April 2005, all community pharmacies are expected to accept unwanted medicines and should have suitable and safe arrangements for the collection and safe disposal of medicines. The profile of safe use, storage and disposal of medicines has been raised through NHS Direct's website and the NHS Direct section of the Thompson local directory, which is issued to all households. We are also in discussion with NHS Direct to develop a leaflet, which professionals can give to members of the public when they are prescribed controlled drugs to ensure that they understand the importance of taking these medicines, and also encourage them to return unused and unwanted medicines to pharmacies for safe disposal. We take every appropriate opportunity to communicate messages of safe use and disposal of medicines in our communication strategy.
	The Fourth Report of the Shipman Inquiry made a number of recommendations to ensure the appropriate disposal of controlled drugs following the death of the person in receipt of these prescribed medicines. The Department is currently piloting patient drug record cards for schedule two injectable controlled drugs in the community.

Mental Health

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the findings were of the race equality impact assessment of the 2004 draft Mental Health Bill; and when she expects to publish the assessment.

Rosie Winterton: As the draft Mental Health Bill published in 2004 no longer represents current Government policy on mental health legislation we have not and do not intend to finalise the report of the race equality impact assessment (REIA) that was undertaken last year. However, we have listened to what people said during the consultation on the 2004 draft Bill and we will carry forward their comments when developing the REIA for the amending Bill.
	We will be publishing a summary of the responses collected from the former REIA process, to assist in the development of issues for the current REIA. The summary will be available on the Department website shortly.
	Information about the Mental Health Bill REIA is available on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/Consultations/LiveConsultations/LiveConsultationsArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4134722chk=UugHb7.

NHS Budget

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the total NHS budget was spent on  (a) mental health services,  (b) prescription drugs and  (c) anti-depressants in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: Information is not available in the requested format. Information on expenditure by the national health service on mental health services in each of the last five years for which data is available is shown in Table 1. The table also shows the proportion of mental health expenditure as part of the hospital and community mental health services budget. The data exclude social care spend on people with mental health problems, and expenditure concerning people treated in primary care for whom a specific diagnosis has not been reached. The figures therefore underestimate the total mental health expenditure.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			  Gross expenditure on mental health (volume terms)  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04 
			 Total mental health ( million) 4,067 4,379 4,423 4^837 5,088 
			 Total hospital and community health services ( million) 32,950 34,444 34,817 36,911 38,151 
			 Mental health proportion (percentage) 12.34 12.71 12.70 13.11 13.34 
		
	
	Information on the value of anti-depressant items and all items prescribed on the NHS in England are set out in Tables 2 and 3 respectively.
	
		
			  Table 2: NHS anti-depressant prescription medications in England 2000 to 2005quantity and cost 
			   Number of anti-depressant medicines prescribed on the NHS in England  Value of anti-depressant items prescribed on the NHS in England () 
			 2000 22,021,840 310,378,169 
			 2001 24,342,713 341,660,880 
			 2002 26,329,382 380,883,112 
			 2003 27,657,990 395,178,028 
			 2004 28,995,511 400,681,709 
			 2005 29,389,874 338,546,700 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: NHS prescription medications in England 2000 to 2005quantity and cost 
			   Items  Costs 
			 2000 551,842,948 5,584,645,465 
			 2001 587,049,035 6,116,568,857 
			 2002 617,021,718 6,846,655,592 
			 2003 649,702,677 7,510,133,590 
			 2004 686,138,915 8,079,566,994 
			 2005 720,283,164 7,936,564,031

NHS Management

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS trust  (a) chief executives,  (b) chairmen and  (c) senior managers are qualified (i) doctors, (ii) nurses and (iii) other healthcare professionals; and what plans she has to increase these figures.

Rosie Winterton: Information in respect of chief executives and senior managers is not collected centrally. The NHS Appointments Commission is responsible for appointing the chairmen of NHS organisations, a number of whom are retired clinicians. I have asked the Appointments Commission to write to the right hon. Member direct with the information he seeks.

NHS Priorities

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the sets of priorities in operation in the NHS in England; how many of these sets of priorities include mental health; and what assessment she has made of the inter-relationship between the various sets of priorities.

Rosie Winterton: National health service priorities for 2005 to 2008 are set out in National Standards, Local Action: Health and Social Care Standards and Planning Framework 2005-06?2007-08, and are available from the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk. These detail healthcare standards, existing commitments and new national targets. The standards themselves will be taken into account by primary care trusts and other national health service organisations providing NHS care directly, in all settings, and aim to safeguard and raise quality and safety across the board.
	The Operating Framework, published by the Department in January, sets out the NHS's specific business and financial arrangements for 2006-07. The Operating Framework identifies six priorities for local delivery plans which will require particular attention in 2006-07, to ensure delivery of national targets by 2008 and beyond:
	health inequalities, focusing on life expectancy at birth by focusing initially on smoking cessation;
	achieving a maximum waiting time of two months (62 days) from urgent referral to treatment and one month (31 days) from diagnosis to treatment for all cancers;
	achieving an 18-week maximum wait from general practitioner referral to hospital treatment by 2008;
	achieving year-on-year reductions in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) levels as set out in the agreed local delivery plans for 2006-07;
	ensuring that all hospital appointments can be booked for patients' convenience through choose and book and that every patient is offered a choice of four or more providers; and
	improving access to genitor-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics so that by 2008 all people referred to GUM clinics can have an appointment within 48 hours.
	The six priorities do not include mental health. We have also made it very clear to primary care trusts and their partner organisations that they are expected to deliver the existing mental health commitments by their target dates, and to maintain that level of performance beyond the target date. This will be monitored by the Healthcare Commission's annual health check. Thanks to the strong emphasis we put on improving mental health services since publishing the NHS Plan in 2000, very significant progress has been made to date.

NHS Salaries

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many employees in the NHS earn over 100,000 per annum, broken down by profession; and what the breakdown was in 2001.

Rosie Winterton: We do not hold salary information for all individual members of staff in the national health service. The only source of information that we can draw on is the biennial NHS Earnings Survey.
	The NHS Earnings Survey looks at a sample of all directly employed NHS staff, both medical and non-medical. This comprises all hospital and community health service staff, but does not include general practitioners and practice staff. The latest data available is for August 2004.
	Details on the percentage of staff numbers within the earnings survey who earn in excess of 100,000 pounds per annum by basic staff group within the 2002 and 2004 earnings survey are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Percentage of staff earning in excess of 100,000 per annum by basic staff group in the 2004 and 2002 NHS Staff Earnings SurveyEngland 
			  Headcount (numbers) 
			All staff  Medical and dental  General senior managers  Nursing and midwifery qualified  Scientific and professional qualified 
			 2004 Percentage of sample earning over 100,000 per annum 0.9 12.1 0.1 0 0.0 
			  Sample size (from earnings survey) 461,775 35,502 16,038 150,236 9,615 
			 2002 Percentage of sample earning over 100,000 per annum 0.4 4.6 0.4 0.0 0.0 
			  Sample size (from earnings survey) 440,026 35,409 17,108 130,301 8,309 
			  Notes:  1. The Earnings Survey is based on a sample of approximately 50 per cent. NHS trusts in August. Figures are from SPS payroll data from all trusts in the survey for the month of August.  2. Earnings figures are based on monthly payments in August multiplied by 12 to give annual equivalent amounts.  3. The sample used in the survey is not necessarily geographically or structurally representative of all trusts in the English NHS.  4. Figures are derived from the sum of an individual's NHS earnings as found within the earnings survey. 5. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place.   Source:  The Information Centre for health and social care earnings survey.

NHS Spinal Cord Injury Centres

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding the capacity and funding of NHS spinal cord injury centres.

Ivan Lewis: Ministers and officials regularly receive representations about funding and service provision relating to a range of conditions, including spinal cord injury. These include a number of questions from Members, on 14 December 2005,  Official Report, columns 2172-73W.

Prescription Drug Costs

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate her Department has made of the cost of prescription drugs that were returned unused and unopened in each of the last five years, broken down by primary care trust.

Andy Burnham: The annual cost of prescription drugs that are returned unused and unopened is not held centrally by the Department.
	It has been previously estimated that unused medicines returned to pharmacies are probably worth 100 million per year.
	The statistical bulletin General Pharmaceutical Services in England and Wales 1995-96 to 2004-05, which is available on the Information Centre for health and social care's website at www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/genphmsvcengwaldecade05 provides details of the weight of unwanted medicines collected and disposed of through community pharmacies, listed by primary care trust. Pharmacies do not separate out unused and unopened medicines from those that have been partially used.
	Pharmacies do not separate out returned medicines from used or unused or unopened ones.

Reconstituted Milk

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the health implications for infants drinking reconstituted milk made from milk powder and fluoridated water; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Research evidence shows, that apart from the benefits to oral health, the only negative effect of adding fluoride to drinking water to a level of one part per million is on the incidence of dental fluorosis. In 2003, the independent expert advisory committee on toxicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment (COT), issued a report Fluorine in the 1997 Total Diet Study, which noted that fluoride intakes of formula-fed infants may exceed the 'no observed adverse effect level' for dental fluorosis. However, COT concluded that infants are at lesser risk of dental fluorosis than older children because the critical time for development of aesthetically significant dental fluorosis is during formation of the permanent teeth at age three to four. COT went on to recommend that more research is needed to determine the impact of the cosmetic effect of dental fluorosis on the affected individual and on any possible long-term health outcomes in people affected by dental fluorosis.
	The Department is committed to a research programme to strengthen the evidence base on the fluoridation of water and we will be considering how research on dental fluorosis can be incorporated into this programme.

Royal Surrey Hospital

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, following the further recommendation of the Epsom and St. Helier NHS Hospital Trust on the St. Helier site, if she will request that the trust revise its decision  (a) following a consultation with the residents of Mole Valley and Esher and Walton constituencies and  (b) taking into account the proposed removal of accident and emergency services at the Royal Surrey Hospital at Guildford.

Caroline Flint: The Department has received the response from the local national health service on St. Helier and is currently considering the situation. We are aware that Surrey and Sussex have commenced discussions with stakeholders on the Fit for the Future review. It would be inappropriate to comment further on this.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals Trust

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what levels of  (a) debt and  (b) deficit the Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals trust inherited from its predecessors at its inception; and whether these amounts were paid by her Department.

Rosie Winterton: Shropshire and Staffordshire strategic health authority reports that at the time that Shrewsbury and Telford hospital national health service trust was established in October 2003, the historic deficit of the Royal Shrewsbury hospital NHS trust and the Princess Royal hospital NHS trust was in the region of 4.1 million.
	When an NHS trust is newly established it may inherit the net assets and liabilities of any predecessor organisations; consequently it is required to manage the financial challenges that may arise from this.

Shropshire Ambulance Service

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Shropshire Ambulance Service will be merged into a West Midlands Ambulance Service within 24 months; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Shropshire Ambulance Service has been part of the current West Midlands Ambulance Service National Health Service Trust since April 2001. Three of the four ambulance trusts in the West Midlands region, West Midlands, Coventry and Warwickshire and Hereford and Worcester, will form a single trust on 1 July 2006. Staffordshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust will remain separate, working in partnership with the new West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, but will merge with it at a later date.

Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of recruiting staff for the Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust has been; and what total pension liabilities resulted from setting up the trust.

Rosie Winterton: The County Durham and Tees Valley Strategic Health Authority reports that the trust has not recruited any staff as a specific result of the creation of the new organisation. The Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys National Health Service Trust has continued to recruit clinical staff to meet the needs of local people, but nothing more has been spent on this recruitment process than its two predecessor trusts would have spent recruiting to the same clinical posts.

Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many job reductions were made in the setting up of the Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust in the local health economy; and what the cost of redundancy payments has been.

Rosie Winterton: The County Durham and Tees Valley Strategic Health Authority reports that currently only one chief executive has been made redundant. As a single trust board and executive team structure is implemented there will be further managerial redundancies. The final cost of these redundancies will be available in the final accounts for the trust.

Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the total cost was of setting up the Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust; what proportion of this total was accounted for by cost overruns; and if she will list the cost overruns involved;
	(2)  how much was spent providing new  (a) signs and  (b) stationery for Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust;
	(3)  what the total costs were of re-branding in setting up the Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not held centrally but can be obtained from the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys National Health Service Trust.

Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations were undertaken with  (a) hon. Members,  (b) the public and  (c) local councillors about the naming of the Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust.

Rosie Winterton: The County Durham and Tees Valley Strategic Health Authority confirms that approximately 50 representatives of service users and carer groups across County Durham, the Tees Valley and North East Yorkshire attended a consultation meeting at which the name of the new trust was discussed. The most popular option was to use the river theme.
	All staff in the trusts were also invited to vote on the options, with the majority in favour of Tees Valley and North East Yorkshire National Health Service Trust.
	Local authority representatives, including County Durham council and Darlington borough council were members of the project board and were fully involved in the discussions about the name.

Trafford Surgical Centre

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures of performance she collects for the Trafford Surgical Centre in Greater Manchester.

Rosie Winterton: Activity data is collected from independent sector treatment centre providers to assess contract utilisation. Data is also collected on the 26 key performance indicators shown in the following table. These monitor clinical quality, patient experience and productivity of services. Data collection takes place on a monthly basis.
	
		
			  Description of KPIs on ISTC Wave 1 Schemes 
			  KPI  Description 
			 KPI 1 Incidence of in-patient and/or day case activities not commenced because of DMAs as percentage of all activities 
			 KPI 2 Procedures cancelled by the provider for non-clinical reasons on or after day of admission. For the purposes of the performance threshold, it is measured as a percentage of all patients admitted to the facility. 
			 KPI 3 Procedures cancelled by provider for clinical reasons on or after day of admission. For the performance threshold, this is measured as a percentage of all patients admitted in the facility. 
			 KPI 4 Patient returning to operating theatre for procedure which was unforeseen at the time the patient's previous procedure was completed as a percentage of all patients admitted in the facility. 
			 KPI 5 In relation to each (HRG), the conversion rate i.e. the percentage of patients who go on to be given a patient appointment for a procedure following an out-patient assessment. 
			 KPI 6 In respect of (the)(each) facility, the rate of rejection by the provider in respect of patients referred within the referral protocol (schedule 3) as a percentage of all patients who are referred in the contracted month. 
			 KPI 7 For day cases, in-patient admission to the facility or to other providers' facilities (including NHS providers) which was unforeseen at the time of admission. For the purposes of the performance, threshold is measured as a percentage of all day cases in the facility. 
			 KPI 8 Transfers of any patient for treatment which was not in the management plan for that patient upon admission to the facility. For the purposes of the performance, threshold is a percentage of all in-patients in the facility by HRG. 
			 KPI 9 Emergency admissions/re-admissions of patients who have received in-patient treatment and have been discharged within 28 days of such discharge where such admission or re-admission is related to or arising from the relevant in-patient treatment, for the purposes of the performance threshold measured by HRG as a percentage of all patients discharged. 
			 KPI 10 Average length of stay in hours and minutes for day cases by HRG, measured from the time of admission to the time of discharge. 
			 KPI 11 Average length of stay by HRG measured in in-patient whole days measured from the time of admission to the time of discharge. 
			 KPI 12 Average procedure time, collected in minutes, by HRG, and specifying surgery where local anaesthetic surgery is used and where general anaesthetic surgery is used, broken down by: induction time on operating table recovery measured from ( ) to ( ) 
			 KPI 13 Patient receives or is listed or recommended for a further procedure to put right any aspect of the original activity less than five years from the date of discharge. For the purposes of performance threshold, measured as a percentage of all procedures carried out at the facility. 
			 KPI 14 Numbers of procedures carried out under local anaesthetic and general anaesthetic by HRG as a percentage of all procedures. 
			 KPI 15 Clinical outcomes specified by procedure, by reference to the Patient Care Pathways. 
			 KPI 16 Timeliness, completeness and accuracy of provider performance data provided to the joint service review and/or to sponsor, recorded as the number of complaints in any reporting period. 
			 KPI 17 Timeliness, completeness and accuracy of provider clinician reporting to referring health body's clinician recorded as the number of complaints in any reporting month. 
			 KPI 18 Patient/customer satisfaction (by survey) based on a survey of 10 per cent. of all patients at each facility in each (contract month) 
			 KPI 19 Rate of patient complaints i.e. number of complaints received as a percentage of all patients referred for: (i) out-patient treatment (ii) day case treatment (iii) in-patient treatment 
			 KPI 20 Patient complaints handling: complaints not handled within relevant time scales set out in the contract. 
			 KPI 21 Incidents which are reportable to the NPSA, or other statutory body. 
			 KPI 22 Additionally: NHS staff recruited in breach of Clause 9 of the agreement. 
			 KPI 23 Condition of facility, measured by inspection by a sponsor and/or the provider and assessed against the requirements of the facility manual and operational procedures. 
			 KPI 24 Breach of security related to the services where there is an identifiable risk of harm, loss or damage to people or property. 
			 KPI 25 Breach by the provider of confidentiality and/or data protection requirements in the agreement. 
			 KPI 26 Failure to meet treat-by date.

Walsall Primary Care Trust

Richard Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by Walsall Primary Care Trust on capital projects in the Aldridge-Brownhills constituency in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The information is not available centrally in the format requested.
	Capital allocations to Walsall Teaching Primary Care Trust are shown in Table 1.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			   Operational total (000) 
			 2002-03 568 
			 2003-04 647 
			 2004-05 723 
			 2005-06 812 
			 2006-07 893 
		
	
	In addition, Birmingham and The Black Country Strategic Health Authority (SHA) has received strategic capital allocations, which is shown in Table 2.
	
		
			  Table 2 
			   Strategic total (000) 
			 2003-04 45,762 
			 2004-05 43,068 
			 2005-06 46,532 
			 2006-07 42,908 
		
	
	Birmingham and The Black Country SHA has also been allocated a share of the 100 million per year capital access fund, shown in Table 3.
	
		
			  Table 3 
			   Access fund allocation (000) 
			 2003-04 5,550 
			 2004-05 5,550 
			 2005-06 5,550

Water Fluoridation

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the independence of the National Fluoride Information Centre; and how the centre is funded;
	(2)  what research has been carried out by the National Fluoride Information Centre on the amount of fluoride people in the North West are consuming;
	(3)  what research has been undertaken by the National Fluoride Information Centre on all aspects of fluoride use since it was set up;
	(4)  what the cost to the NHS was of setting up the National Fluoride Information Centre.

Rosie Winterton: The National Fluoride Information Centre (NFIC) is an academically independent research unit based at Manchester University. It provides objective information on all aspects of fluorides and fluoridation derived from scientific literature and reviewed by independent scientific experts. The Department has committed funding of 125,000 per annum for the three years from 2004-05 to 2006-07.
	The NFIC is currently carrying out research into the temporal effects of water fluoridation on dental fluorosis, the effect water fluoridation has on the dental health of adults, the use of new tools to diagnose dental caries which may enable randomised control trials to be undertaken on the effects of water fluoridation and the monitoring oral health in Europe to compare dental caries levels with those in England.

Biodiversity

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  which Minister in his Department is responsible for monitoring his Department's compliance with its duty under section 74 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 to have regard to the purpose of conserving biological diversity in carrying out its functions; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps his Department plans to take to monitor the extent to which public bodies which report to him comply, from October, with their duty to conserve biodiversity in exercising their functions, under section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006.

David Cairns: The duties contained within the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (or the extended duties contained within Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006) relating to the conservation of biological diversity, do not apply to Northern Ireland.
	Northern Ireland is, however, currently considering introducing a statutory duty upon Government Departments and public bodies in the proposed review of the Wildlife (NI) Order 1985. This is intended to be similar to the statutory duty in Great Britain. In the meantime, progress against delivery of the 76 recommendations contained in the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Strategy (adopted in 2002) continues to be monitored closely by the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Group, which independently provides me, as Minister responsible for the environment, with three yearly reports on progress.

Board Area Populations

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total population is of each education and library board area in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: The following table give the official estimate of the population, at 30 June 2004, by education and library board in Northern Ireland.
	
		
			  Education and library board  Population 
			 Belfast 269,000 
			 North Eastern 402,300 
			 South Eastern 395,100 
			 Southern 355,100 
			 Western 288,900 
			 Northern Ireland 1,710,300 
			  Note:  Data may not add due to rounding.

Budget Allocation

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the allocation of the extra 26 million allocated to Northern Ireland in the 2006 Budget.

David Hanson: The 26 million resource allocated to Northern Ireland over the next two years from the Chancellors 2006 Budget will be invested into the Children and Young Peoples Funding Package, with most going directly to schools across Northern Ireland. The package is intended to reduce underachievement and improve the life chances of children and young people by enhancing their educational development and fostering their health, well being and social inclusion.

Child Support Agency

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his letter of 19 October 2005 (COR/443/2005) on the Child Support Agency, when the chief executive of the Child Support Agency will be in a position to reply to the hon. Lady for North Down.

David Hanson: The chief executive of the Child Support Agency replied to the hon. Lady on 21 October 2005.

Childhood Obesity

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the volume of soft drinks which was consumed per day on average by  (a) adults and  (b) children in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: Figures provided the NI Food and Drinks Association (NIFDA) indicate that the average person in NI drinks 122 litres of carbonated soft drinks per year, 13 litres more than people in the Republic of Ireland and 17 litres more than people in the UK as a whole.
	No specific data is available regarding the volume of soft drinks consumed by children. However, information from the 2005 Child Wellbeing Survey indicates that 38.4 per cent. of children aged 8 to 11 years consume soft drinks at least once per day.
	Nationally, the most recent information available on consumption of soft drinks by children dates back to the 1997 National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) of young people aged 4 to 18 years. This survey, carried out in England, Wales and Scotland, showed that average consumption of soft drinks by the 4 to 18-year age group in Britain in 1997 was 441g/day. Just over half of this (264g/day) comprised standard (i.e. other than low calorie) varieties.

Council Staff Sickness

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average sickness rates were for staff employed at each district council in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

David Cairns: The information on sickness rates within district councils is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the Local Government Auditor, under the provisions in Article 26 of the Local Government (Northern Ireland) Order 2005, is in the process of collecting information about absenteeism for 20050-06. This information will be published and a copy will be placed in the Library.

Curran Report

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action has been taken to implement the recommendations of the Curran Report commissioned by the Department of Education in Northern Ireland.

Maria Eagle: The recommendations of the Final Report Part 1 (Parity, Performance and Progression) of the Teachers' Pay and Conditions of Service Inquiry have been largely implemented. The Final Report Part 2 (Improving Conditions, Raising Standards and Negotiating Arrangements) made a number of wide ranging recommendations, which, if implemented, would place a significant demand upon the education budget.
	Successive Ministers have asked the Teachers' Negotiating Committee, which comprises both employers and teacher unions; to consider how the recommendations in the report can be progressed through alternative and innovative ways of working. To this end the Committee has established a working group to identify potential strategies that will free up teachers' time and help reduce teacher workload in line with the recommendations.

Domestic Violence

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) men and  (b) women have died in Northern Ireland in the past three years as a direct result of domestic violence.

David Hanson: Deaths as a result of domestic violence in the past three years are given in the following table.
	
		
			   Deaths: 
			  Year (April?March)  Male  Female 
			 2003-04 2 2 
			 2004-05 1 6 
			 2005-06 3 3 
			  Source:  Police Service of Northern Ireland

Domestic Violence

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what facilities exist for men who present themselves as victims of domestic violence; and how many refuge centres exist in the Province.

David Hanson: A strategy for addressing domestic violence in Northern Ireland Tackling Violence at Home was launched in October 2005. The strategy is aimed at providing protection and support to all victims of domestic violence, irrespective of gender or sexual orientation. All victims can seek information and advice through the free-phone Domestic Violence Helpline and male victims are sign-posted to organisations that provide services for men, such as the Men's Advisory Project, Men-to-Men or the Rainbow Project. Any victim of a domestic assault can seek protection from the police who will investigate, arrest the alleged abuser if power exists and prosecute where there is evidence of a crime. Alternatively a victim can engage a solicitor and apply to a court for a civil order (a non-molestation order and/or an occupation order) to prevent further abuse or exclude the abuser from the family home. There are 12 Women's Aid Refuges for women and children fleeing domestic violence. There are no refuges in operation specifically for male victims of domestic violence given the small numbers involved but men may seek assistance from the Housing Executive who will offer the full range of homelessness services including supported or unsupported temporary accommodation.

Education and Library Boards

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what budget was allocated to each of the Education and Library Boards in Northern Ireland for  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07.

Maria Eagle: The following tables show the funding (recurrent and capital) allocated to each of the Education and Library Boards by the three funding Departments, Department of Education (DE), Department of Culture Arts and Leisure (DCAL) and Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) in the last two financial years ie 2005-06 and 2006-07. It should be noted that the 2005-06 figures relate to initial and final end-year allocations while the 2006-07 figures cover only the initial allocations provided at the start of the financial year. Further funding held by my Departments including end year flexibility allocations carried forward from 2005-06 and earmarked for ELBs have still to be allocated.
	
		
			  2005-06 (initial allocation) 
			   million 
			   Recurrent  Capital  Total 
			 BELB 195.0 13.9 208.9 
			 NEELB 256.0 17.5 273.5 
			 SEELB 225.5 20.6 246.1 
			 SELB 267.2 17.5 284.7 
			 WELB 220.3 15.8 236.1 
			 Total 1,164.0 85.3 1,249.3 
		
	
	
		
			  2005-06 (final allocation) 
			   million 
			   Recurrent  Capital  Total 
			 BELB 220.2 10.0 230.2 
			 NEELB 281.2 16.7 297.9 
			 SEELB 250.5 21.7 272.2 
			 SELB 296.1 16.2 312.3 
			 WELB 299.9 12.7 312.6 
			 Total 1,347.9 77.3 1,425.2 
		
	
	
		
			  2006-07 (initial allocation) 
			   million 
			   Recurrent  Capital  Total 
			 BELB (1)191.8 10.6 202.4 
			 NEELB 265.8 11.9 277.7 
			 SEELB (1)226.4 11.7 238.1 
			 SELB 277.8 13.6 291.4 
			 WELB 228.8 16.2 245.0 
			 Total 1,190.6 64.0 1,254.6 
			 (1) In 2006-07, the amounts allocated by the Department of Education to BELB and SEELB were net of part-repayments of deficit by both Boards amounting to 3 million and 4.5 million respectively.

Fallen Stock

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many fallen livestock have been recorded in the Strangford constituency over the past three years.

David Cairns: The information is not available in the format suggested. Data is available in relation to collections recorded for the National Fallen Stock Scheme in Northern Ireland from 22 November 2004, when the scheme was introduced, to 25 May 2006 (see table 1 following). Figures are not available for other legal means of disposal including independent collection of through approved hunt kennels. The National Fallen Stock Scheme does not collect fallen bovines over 24 months old, for which the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development provides a free collection service for the purposes of BSE testing (table 2 refers).
	
		
			  Table 1: National fallen stock scheme collections in Northern Ireland recorded from 22 November 2004 to 25 May 2006 
			  Category  Number of collections 
			 Bovines 0 to 24 months 47,705 
			 Container for bovine 4 
			 Bovine per 10 litre volume 10 
			 Sheep and lambs 26,090 
			 Container for lambs 164 
			 Sheep/lambs per 10 kg weight 1,649 
			 Sheep/lambs per 10 litre volume 295 
			 Goats and kids 76 
			 Container for goats 8 
			 Goats per 10 kg weight 533 
			 Pigs and piglets 5,823 
			 Container for piglets 507 
			 Pigs/piglets per 10 kg weight 72,359 
			 Pigs/piglets per 10 litre volume 1,576 
			 Poultry per 10 kg weight 375,323 
			 Container for poultry 6,476 
			 Poultry per 10 litre volume 8,220 
			 Deer 2 
			 Horses and foals 73 
			 Donkeys 2 
			 Ponies and foals 23 
			 Mixed animals per 10 kg weight (bovine/sheep/goats/pigs) 7,708 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Over 24 months fallen bovines tested for BSE in Northern Ireland 
			   Number of bovines tested 
			 2003 7,095 
			 2004 8,997 
			 2005 9,734

Former Police Officers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what grounds the contracts of employment in the Northern Ireland Police Force of  (a) Mr. Desmond Clayton and  (b) Mr. Thomas Hale were terminated; what the total cost was of the severance package for each; and what budget the severance packages were paid from.

Paul Goggins: The employment and termination of employment for staff members of the Northern Ireland Police Fund is a matter for the Board of Directors of the Police Fund.

Hospital Security

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to increase resources allocated for hospital security at  (a) Ulster hospital and  (b) other Northern Ireland hospitals.

Paul Goggins: The resources made available to the health and personal social services (HPSS) do not specify an amount for hospital security. However, it is within the remit of each trust to allocate appropriate resources for security, as it considers necessary in fulfilling its duty of care to patients, staff and visitors.
	The Department is fully committed to improving health and safety protection for all HPSS staff and there are a number of measures already in place to demonstrate this commitment e.g. personal alarms for lone workers, panic buttons and restricted access in A and E, CCTV, joint protocols between Department and PSNI on reporting incidents, publicity campaign that violent attacks on staff are crimes. Also a controls assurance standard for security management for the HPSS is being developed and will further ensure that there is a secure environment that protects all service users, staff and visitors.

Independent Monitoring Commission

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his Department's contribution is to the expenses of the Independent Monitoring Commission; what the cost of the Commission has been in each year since its formation; and how much of the cost is accounted for by  (a) administrative costs including staff,  (b) members' allowances and emoluments and  (c) members' expenses.

Shaun Woodward: The Independent Monitoring Commission is jointly funded by the Northern Ireland Office and the Department of Justice, each contributing 50 per cent. of the overall expenses of the Commission.
	The costs of the Commission to the Northern Ireland Office are set out in the following table:
	
		
			   
			   January 2004?March 2005  April 2005?March 2006 
			 Total cost 546,579 220,516 
			  (a) 50,528 38,470 
			  (b) 101,621 86,655 
			  (c) 88,078 95,391

Influenza Pandemic

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what containment measures have been drawn up in Northern Ireland should an influenza pandemic break out in the Province.

Paul Goggins: The Government are taking the issue of pandemic flu very seriously.
	The World Health Organisation (WHO) believes the United Kingdom to be one of the best prepared countries in the world for dealing with a pandemic influenza.
	The Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) has been working on pandemic influenza plans for two years. These dovetail with the UK National Plan and are based on the framework recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for national pandemic plans.
	Health and Social Services Boards and Trusts within Northern Ireland have also developed contingency plans based on the DHSSPS plan.
	Antivirals will provide the first form of defence against a pandemic flu. In line with the rest of the UK we have ordered sufficient doses of antivirals to treat the predicted number of people who will become ill. The full supply is on target to be received here by September 2006.
	Vaccination will offer the best form of protection against pandemic flu but a vaccine cannot be manufactured until the exact flu strain is known. It will take around 4-6 months for Northern Ireland Office stocks to become available. Once the vaccine is available, Government plan to vaccinate the whole population.
	As a further precautionary measure, Government have ordered 3.5 million doses (and Northern Ireland will get its share) of the H5N1 vaccine as part of the work to prepare for and reduce the impact of a possible flu pandemic. The vaccine will be used to carry out further research and may also be used to vaccinate front line health care workers before a specific pandemic vaccine is developed.
	Integral to Government's preparedness on pandemic flu is surveillance. For the past four years Northern Ireland has had an enhanced surveillance scheme for human influenza operated by the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (CDSDC NI) through a network of GP spotter practices. This enhanced surveillance will provide early warning of new viruses circulating here in NI and CDSC will also link to the Health Protection Agency (UK) to provide timely information for the production of UK surveillance data in the event of a pandemic.
	DHSSPS recently carried out a large-scale tabletop exercise to test its contingency plan. The report of the lessons learned will be available shortly.

Influenza Pandemic

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many professionals are employed in the Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety dealing with the potential threat of a full pandemic.

Paul Goggins: There are currently the equivalent of 1.5 members of medical staff and 0.5 principal officer dedicated solely to pandemic flu preparedness. Within the Department other members of staff also provide advice and support on this matter from time to time as required. These include medical, nursing, pharmacy, social services and senior administrative staff.
	The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety is working in partnership with the wider health and personal social services, and other Government Departments and agencies to plan for the consequences of a pandemic flu.

Information Technology

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on information technology (IT) sourced from outside his Department in each of the last five years; who is responsible for such projects in his Department; and what IT  (a) expertise and  (b) qualifications they possess.

Paul Goggins: The following table covers the NIO core department, agencies, the legal offices (Director of Public Prosecutions and Crown Solicitors Office). It does not cover the Northern Ireland Departments, the police or other independent bodies.
	
		
			  ICT Expenditure 
			
			 2001-02 2,399,200 
			 2002-03 5,341,000 
			 2003-04 8,090,000 
			 2004-05 17,014,300 
			 2005-06 10,724,400 
			 Total 43,568,900 
		
	
	The person responsible for ICT expenditure and related projects is the assistant director, information systems who sets policy and advises the Permanent Secretary on these matters.
	Any person project managing a medium to large project within information systems would be trained to the industry standard project management level, for example, Prince 2.
	All technical members of ISD have a minimum of HND/HNC in computing or a minimum of five years technical experience.

Lakewood School

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the consultees in relation to the proposed move of Lakewood School in Bangor to Childhaven near Millisle in County Down; and what the nature was of the consultation.

Paul Goggins: Children who are currently accommodated in the Lakewood Centre will shortly move to Craigmore children's home (formerly named Childhaven) in Millisle and North Road children's home in Belfast. The Lakewood School will not transfer to Millisle, and interim arrangements will be put in place before September to meet the education needs of these children.
	The accommodation of these children in Craigmore and North Road is a temporary measure whilst the Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust commissions' two new intensive support units and all appropriate safeguards will be put in place. As Craigmore is currently registered as a children's home, and there will be no change in function, public consultation has not been carried out. However, staff from the Lakewood Centre met with local residents on 18 May 2006 and a further meeting is due to take place on 1 June to address any concerns they may have.

Mental Health

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the current intake of student nurses at Queen's University Belfast have indicated their intention to specialise in psychiatric nursing; and what assessment he has made of the extent to which this meets the number of nurses required in this field of nursing.

Paul Goggins: There are currently 120 pre-registration student nurses specialising in mental health nursing at Queen's University Belfast, from a total of 1,320. There are a further 113 students specialising in mental health nursing at the University of Ulster or through the Open University. A recent review of the Mental Health and Learning Disability work force indicates the need for further investment in the training of a range of staff in this work force. A recruitment drive for mental health nursing was taken forward by Queen's University and the Department in 2004 this has resulted in substantially increased applications for training in mental health nursing.

Missed Hospital Appointments

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many missed hospital appointments there were in each health trust in the Province over the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: The total number of missed hospital appointments in the financial year 2004-05 for each health trust is provided in the following table. These figures represent the number of out-patient appointments where a patient did not attend and failed to give advanced warning to the hospital.
	
		
			  HSS trust  Number of missed appointments 
			 Altnagelvin Group 16,788 
			 Armagh and Dungannon 2,519 
			 Belfast City Hospital 22,283 
			 Causeway 5,080 
			 Craigavon Area Hospital Group 13,416 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge Community 2,010 
			 Down Lisburn 6,558 
			 Foyle Community 1,884 
			 Green Park Healthcare 8,169 
			 Homefirst Community 4,251 
			 Mater Infirmorum 12,302 
			 Newry and Mourne 8,934 
			 North and West Belfast 419 
			 Royal Group of Hospitals 51,100 
			 South and East Belfast 2,890 
			 Sperrin Lakeland 6,043 
			 Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust 19,951 
			 United Hospitals Group 13,141 
			   
			 Northern Ireland 197,738 
			  Source:  Departmental Information Return KH09

Northern Ireland Civil Service

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 29 April 2006,  Official Report, columns 700-1W, on the Northern Ireland Civil Service, which Northern Ireland departments have vacancies at  (a) AO,  (b) EOII,  (c) EOI,  (d) SO and  (e) DP grades, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

David Hanson: Details of vacancies, in Northern Ireland departments, at  (a) AO,  (b) EO11,  (c) EO1  (d) SO and  (e) DP grades, broken down by parliamentary constituency have been placed in the Library. These figures relate to vacancies for which Departments have current financial provision and are within the departmental headcount.
	The tables also show identified surpluses for each grade.

Nuclear Power

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the development of nuclear power in Northern Ireland.

Maria Eagle: The Strategic Energy Framework does not anticipate nuclear new build in Northern Ireland. Energy policy in Northern Ireland is currently focussed on building the all-island market which will offer further options in terms of security and diversity of supply, and on expanding the role of renewables.
	The Secretary of State's recently launched 60 million Environment and Renewable Energy Fund will make Northern Ireland an exemplar region in the use of renewable energy.
	We are also driving forward on energy efficiency, having set a target of reducing electricity consumption by 1 per cent. per year from 2007. The Environment and Renewable Energy Fund also provides an additional 11 million for energy efficiency in Northern Ireland.
	Work to mainstream renewables is also being taken forward in collaboration with the Republic of Ireland through the 2020 Vision launched by both Governments last July.

Paediatric Cardiology

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average waiting time was for an initial paediatric cardiology assessment in the Province in the last period for which figures are available.

Paul Goggins: Waiting list information is collected by time band. It is therefore not possible to calculate the arithmetic mean (average) length of time waiting. It is however possible to identify the median or mid point waiting time band. Current median (average) waiting times for children waiting an initial paediatric cardiology outpatient assessment, in each applicable Health and Social Services Trust, are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  HSS trust  Median waiting times for an outpatient paediatric cardiology assessment (months) 
			 Royal Group of Hospitals 7 
			 United Hospitals 6-9 
			 Craigavon Area Hospital Group 3-5 
			 Altnagelvin Group 3-5 
			 Causeway Within 2 
			 Ulster Community and Hospitals 30

Police Board

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the  (a) (i) status and (ii) powers and  (b) payments to members of the Police Board in Northern Ireland will be from 25 November 2006.

Paul Goggins: While section 1 of the Northern Ireland Act 2000 (suspension of devolved Government in Northern Ireland) is in force part II of schedule 1 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 applies to the membership of the Northern Ireland Policing Board. Under this part of the Act the current membership of the Policing Board came into effect on 1 April 2006 for a term of four years.
	On restoration of the Assembly part III of schedule 1 of the Police (NI) Act 2000 requires the Policing Board to be reconstituted and in these circumstances new terms of appointment would be issued to all members of the newly reconstituted Board.

Pupil Absences

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average number of  (a) unauthorised and  (b) total days was that a pupil was off school in each education board in the Province over each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: Statistics on unauthorised absence are not available. Overall absence rates for primary and post primary schools are provided in the following tables.
	
		
			  Percentage rate of absence for primary schools in Northern Ireland by education and library board area, 2000/01?204/05 
			  Education and library board area  2000/01  2001/02  2002/03  2003/04  2004/05 
			 Belfast 8.2 7.7 8.5 7.6 8.0 
			 North Eastern 4.0 3.9 4.5 4.8 4.8 
			 South Eastern 5.0 4.5 .4.9 4.4 4.7 
			 Southern 4.2 4.5 4.5 4.7 4.6 
			 Western 4.5 4.5 4.9 4.4 4.7 
			 Northern Ireland 5.2 5.0 5.6 5.2 5.2 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage rate of absence for post-primary schools in Northern Ireland by education and library board area, 2000/01?2004/05 
			  Education and library board area  2000/01  2001/02  2002/03  2003/04  2004/05 
			 Belfast 8.4 8.1 8.0 8.0 7.6 
			 North Eastern 7.3 7.3 7.2 7.4 7.2 
			 South Eastern 8.2 8.1 7.9 7.8 7.8 
			 Southern 7.4 7.4 7.5 7.4 7.3 
			 Western 7.5 7.4 7.2 7.2 7.3 
			 Northern Ireland 7.7 7.6 7.6 7.5 7.4

Pupil Injuries (Compensation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 24 April 2006,  Official Report, column 887W, on pupil injuries (compensation), to how many incidents in each of the last five years the figures for compensation relate; which Northern Ireland schools recorded injuries that resulted in compensation payments; and how much was paid out in compensation in each school.

Maria Eagle: The figures provided have now been updated to reflect the final 2005-06 position and relate to 183 incidents. The following table shows, for each year, the number of incidents by funding authority; the overall amounts; and the schools involved. It would not be appropriate to provide details of compensation at individual school level simply because, given the very small numbers, this would allow amounts to be linked to individual pupils.
	
		
			  Funding authority  Financial year  Number of incidents  Amount of compensation paid to pupils ()  Names of schools involved 
			 BELB 2001-02 11 32,750 Model Boys 
			  2002-03 2 5,500 Balmoral High School 
			  2003-04 4 30,750 Mount Gilbert CC 
			  2004-05 1 10,000 Glenwood Primary 
			  2005-06 0 0 Glenveagh 
			 Sandbrook Nursery 
			 Springhill Primary 
			 Edenbrooke Primary 
			 Model Girls 
			 Ashfield Boys High 
			  
			 VGS 2005-06 4 45,576 St. Joseph's Donaghmore 
			  2004-05 4 55,323 St. Malachy's Belfast 
			  2003-04 3 101,728 Friend's School Lisburn 
			  2002-03 3 17,132 Methodist College Belfast 
			  2001-02 3 15,294 Sullivan Upper Holywood 
			 Belfast Royal Academy 
			 Strathearn School Belfast 
			 St. Mary's Belfast 
			 St. Louis Kilkeel 
			 Foyle and Londonderry College 
			 Coleraine Academical Institute 
			 Wallace High School Lisburn 
			  
			 GMI 2005-06 2 30,097 Lagan Integrated College 
			  2004-05 2 12,008 Hazelwood Integrated College 
			  2003-04 1 19,000 Malone Integrated College 
			  2002-03 0 0 Ulidia Integrated College 
			  2001-02 2 18,842 Braidside Integrated Primary 
			 Drumragh Integrated College

Railway Security

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for how long the railway line between Lisburn and Portadown was closed as a result of the security alert on 24 May; and how many passengers were re-directed onto buses.

David Cairns: I can advise that the line between Lisburn and Portadown was closed three times on 24 May during the following hours:
	06.00-08.24
	11.25-21.10
	22.45-23.37
	As a result of the line closures approximately 1,600 passengers were carried on buses to continue their local journeys between Portadown, Lurgan, Moira and Lisburn. In addition approximately 2,250 passengers were carried in buses between Newry and Belfast as a result of disruptions to 16 cross border Enterprise services.

Sex Offenders

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people resident in Northern Ireland are on the register of sex offenders; and in how many of those cases the police do not know the offender's current residential address.

David Hanson: pursuant to the reply, 11 May 2006, Official Report, c. 508W
	The information I provided the hon. Gentleman contained an error. The answer should have stated that in 14 of the cases the police do not have a current residential address. The correct answer in full is as follows. I apologise to the hon. Gentleman for this error.
	On 28 April 2006, 644 people in Northern Ireland were subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and in 14 of these cases the police do not have a current residential address. This represents a compliance rate of over 97 per cent.
	In line with the police service of Northern Ireland's zero tolerance policy on breaches of the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act, all offenders who do not comply are pursued and reported to the Public Prosecution Service with a view to prosecution.

Sheep-worrying (Dogs)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dogs have been put down for sheep-worrying under court orders in Northern Ireland in the last five years, broken down by constituency.

David Cairns: Information on the number of dogs put down for sheep-worrying under court orders in Northern Ireland in the last five years is not available by constituency but is provided in the following table by council area.
	
		
			  Council name  Number of dogs put down for sheep-worrying 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Antrim 2 3 1 0 0 
			 Newtownards 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Armagh 0 0 0 1 2 
			 Ballymena 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Ballymoney 4 0 0 3 0 
			 Banbridge 0 0 0 1 2 
			 Belfast 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Carrickfergus 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Castlereagh 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Coleraine 1 1 3 4 5 
			 Cookstown 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Craigavon 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Londonderry 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Down 6 0 0 0 0 
			 Dungannon 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Fermanagh 14 12 15 5 9 
			 Larne 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Limavady 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Lisburn 3 0 3 0 0 
			 Magherafelt 0 0 1 2 3 
			 Moyle 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Newry 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Newtown abbey 0 0 0 0 0 
			 North down 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Omagh 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Strabane 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Totals 31 16 23 17 22

Sheep-worrying (Dogs)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) reports of and  (b) prosecutions for sheep worrying dogs there have been in Northern Ireland in the last three years.

David Cairns: Details of the number of reports of sheep worrying by dogs and prosecutions in respect of sheep worrying incidents by dogs in Northern Ireland in the last three years are set out in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of reports of sheep worrying  Number of prosecutions for sheep worrying 
			  Council name  2003  2004  2005  2003  2004  2005 
			 Antrim 5 8 10 1 0 0 
			 Newtownards 0 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Armagh 1 23 32 0 1 0 
			 Ballymena 10 8 9 0 4 0 
			 Ballymoney 10 10 3 0 0 0 
			 Banbridge 23 21 23 3 1 2 
			 Belfast 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Carrickfergus 0 1 4 0 0 0 
			 Castlereagh 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Coleraine 17 37 14 0 0 0 
			 Cookstown 15 22 11 0 0 0 
			 Craigavon 4 4 4 0 0 0 
			 Londonderry 36 25 20 0 0 0 
			 Down 21 21 20 0 0 0 
			 Dungannon 13 12 16 1 0 0 
			 Fermanagh 55 33 23 1 0 1 
			 Larne 1 3 0 1 1 0 
			 Limavady 5 1 3 0 0 0 
			 Lisburn 12 9 11 0 0 0 
			 Magherafelt 15 9 0 0 0 0 
			 Moyle 6 6 6 0 0 0 
			 Newry 26 19 13 4 0 0 
			 Newtownabbey 2 3 3 0 0 0 
			 North Down 0 0 1 0 0 1 
			 Omagh 22 19 18 0 1 0 
			 Strabane 4 8 15 0 1 0 
			 Total 303 302 259 12 9 4

Sinn Fein/IRA Stormont Spy Ring

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost was of ensuring the safety of people whose details were stolen as part of the Sinn Fein/IRA Stormont spy ring; how many people were advised that their details were included in the Sinn Fein/IRA Stormont spy ring; how many  (a) police officers,  (b) prison officers,  (c) Royal Irish Regiment/Ulster Defence Regiment soldiers,  (d) politicians,  (e) members of the Loyal Orders and  (f) civilians had their details stolen as part of the Sinn Fein/IRA Stormont spy ring; and whether any people whose details were stolen as part of the Sinn Fein/IRA Stormont spy ring were not contacted by the authorities.

Paul Goggins: A full investigation into the total cost of ensuring the safety of all the individuals concerned would be complex and wide-ranging. Such an investigation could not be conducted without incurring disproportionate cost,
	2,195 individuals were informed of their details having been compromised. This included 77 PSNI/Garda officers, 1,583 prison officers, 13 army personnel and 37 politicians. PSNI advise that details are not available on individuals' membership of Loyal Orders, given its confidential nature, nor are accurate figures on numbers of civilians readily available given difficulties of classification.
	The decision was taken at a senior level in the PSNI as to which individuals should be notified, in the context of the contents of the material obtained, and taking security and human rights considerations into account.

Teacher Training

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what retraining opportunities will be provided for teachers ahead of the introduction of the new curriculum.

Maria Eagle: An extensive programme of in-service training and support will be provided through the Curriculum Advisory and Support Services of the education and library boards, complemented by guidance and resource material provided by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment. The programme will be sequenced to match the phasing in of the revised curriculum, to ensure manageability for teachers and schools.

Teenage Pregnancies

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many teenage pregnancies have been registered in each health board area in the last three years; and how many of these young mothers were aged between 13 and 14 years.

Paul Goggins: It is not possible to provide information on the number of pregnant teenagers in Northern Ireland, as the number of pregnancies is not recorded.
	The number of births to teenage mothers registered in Northern Ireland and how many of these mothers were aged 13 and 14-years-old in the last three years are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number of births registered in Northern Ireland by mother's resident Health and Social Services Board and by age, 2003-05 
			Health and Social Services Board  
			   Age of mother  Eastern  Northern  Southern  Western  Northern Ireland 
			  2003 13 0 0 0 0 0 
			  14 2 0 0 2 4 
			  19 and under 686 314 231 250 1,481 
			
			  2004 13 0 1 2 0 3 
			  14 1 0 0 0 1 
			  19 and under 673 344 224 242 1,483 
			
			  2005( 1) 13 0 0 1 0 1 
			  14 3 2 0 0 5 
			  19 and under 663 303 213 221 1,400 
			 (1) Data for number of births during 2005 are currently provisional as are subject to change.   Notes:  1. The number of births to teenage mothers refers to all live and still births to women aged 19 and under at the time of birth and resident in Northern Ireland.  2. Pregnancies resulting in multiple birth are counted only once.   Source:  Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

Treatment Compensation

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many complaints against  (a) nurses,  (b) general practitioners and  (c) consultants were upheld; and what compensation was paid to complainants in each of the last three years in each trust area.

Paul Goggins: The information is not available in the form requested. The following table shows amounts of compensation paid in respect of clinical negligence in the last three years in each trust area, including additional costs such as legal fees.
	
		
			   
			  Trust  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Royal Group of Hospitals and Dental Hospital 2,248,603 733,404 475,500 
			 Belfast City Hospital 593,229 548,435 327,250 
			 Ulster Community and Hospitals 709,542 229,083 427,250 
			 Down Lisburn 502,850 493,610 1,651,654 
			 Southand East Belfast 666,667 0 65,000 
			 North and West Belfast 45,489 0 22,716 
			 Mater Infirmorum 179,036 61,280 93,062 
			 Green Park 112,032 36,884 70,611 
			 Northern Ireland Ambulance Service 0 0 0 
			 Causeway 0 1,027,781 363,767 
			 Homefirst Community 0 0 7,315 
			 United Hospitals 2,123 625,142 724,705 
			 Armagh and Dungannon 144,349 132,026 45,215 
			 Newry and Mourne 205,000 36,499 103,500 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge 0 0 71,000 
			 Craigavon Area Hospital Group 645,146 2,636,041 204,744 
			 Foyle 5,000 10,000 0 
			 Sperrin Lakeland 56,761 124,272 1,176,623 
			 Altnagelvin 0 0 471,807

Truancy

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average rates of truancy were in  (a) controlled and  (b) maintained schools in each education and library board area in Northern Ireland in each year since 2000.

Maria Eagle: The Department of Education does not collect the requested information. However, information about referrals of pupils to the Education Welfare Service is collected from each of the education and library boards on an annual basis. Referrals can be for a variety of reasons, including truancy.
	The following table shows the percentage of pupils referred to the Education Welfare Service in controlled and maintained schools in Northern Ireland for school years 2000-01 to 2004-05:
	
		
			  Percentage pupils referred 
			   2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			  Board area  C  M  C  M  C  M  C  M  C  M 
			 Belfast 5.31 4.20 4.72 3.32 5.77 4.43 6.61 5.10 5.29 4.97 
			 Western 2.24 5.46 2.17 2.80 3.24 5.62 2.09 3.21 1.19 2.12 
			 N. Eastern 1.95 2.25 4.10 3.78 4.15 4.51 3.07 2.28 1.38 0.90 
			 S. Eastern 3.90 4.32 4.15 4.60 2.73 3.08 2.61 2.76 1.84 1.67 
			 Southern 2.50 3.23 5.30 4.03 4.54 3.83 1.40 1.33 1.27 1.50 
			  Notes:  1. CControlled  2. MMaintained

Undergraduate Numbers

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many undergraduate students attended  (a) St. Mary's college and  (b) Stranmillis college in each of the last five years, broken down by religious background.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is as follows.
	
		
			  Undergraduate enrolments at St. Mary's and Stranmillis university colleges by religion 2000/01?2004/05 
			   St. Mary's university college 
			  Academic year  Protestant  Roman Catholic  Other  Not known  Total 
			 2000/01 10 713 0 85 808 
			 2001/02 5 524 0 334 863 
			 2002/03  715 0 * 958 
			 2003/04  769 0 * 1,015 
			 2004/05  759 0 * 1,010 
		
	
	
		
			  Stranmillis university college 
			  Academic year  Protestant  Roman Catholic  Other  Not known  Total 
			 2000/01 563 72 14 407 1,056 
			 2001/02 812 110 19 287 1,228 
			 2002/03 866 125 23 185 1,199 
			 2003/04 891 134 32 143 1,200 
			 2004/05 924 159 35 159 1,277 
			  Note:  To prevent the identification of individuals, figures less than five have been suppressed and are denoted by . Figures which could allow those figures to be calculated have been replaced by *.   Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency 
		
	
	HESA data relating to the 2005/06 academic year are not available at this time.

Vaccinations

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information is available in  (a) leaflet and  (b) website format to people travelling abroad from Northern Ireland which highlights the appropriate vaccinations, if required; what other general information on health insurance and contact numbers of British embassies he provides for travellers; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: Advice to UK citizens travelling abroad is contained in the booklet T7, Health Advice for Travellers, which is available in all post offices. The information contained in the booklet is also available online, and can be accessed directly on the Department of Health website or by linking to it from the Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety website. The online version also contains links to other Government Departments' websites, in particular the Foreign and Commonwealth Office where information on British embassies can be obtained.

Victim Support

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much public money has been spent on  (a) consultants and  (b) advertising by Victim Support Northern Ireland in each year since its formation; what the (i) administrative and (ii) salary costs were of the organisation in the last year for which figures are available; how many people are employed by the organisation, broken down by grade; and how much money has been allocated by his Department to the organisation in each year since its formation.

David Hanson: Victim Support Northern Ireland (VSNI) is an independent voluntary organisation core funded by the Northern Ireland Office to provide information, support and practical help to victims of crime and witnesses.
	The following table provides a breakdown of expenditure made by VSNI for consultants and advertising. In line with VSNI retention policy, information is not available from the formation of the organisation:
	
		
			   
			  Financial year  Consultants  Advertising 
			 1999-2000 34,509 16,803 
			 2000-01 20,398 18,743 
			 2001-02 11,633 14,095 
			 2002-03 1,093 55,270 
			 2003-04 3,917 60,311 
			 2004-05 5,279 29,799 
			 2005-06 27,606 21,544 
		
	
	In 2005-06 VSNI's administrative costs were 622,963 and the salary costs were 1,263,936.
	The following is a list of the staffing posts within VSNI broken down by grade:
	
		
			  Post  Number of staff 
			 Branch Managers 8 
			 Branch Co-ordinators 8 
			 Advice Workers 9 
			 Administrative Officers (P/T) 3 
			 Administrative Officers (F/T) 18 
			 Court Witness Co-ordinators (P/T) 2 
			 Court Witness Co-ordinators (F/T) 4 
			 CEO 1 
			 Senior Management Team 4 
			 C/Injuries Technical Manager 1 
			 Court Witness Project Manager 1 
			 Training Officer 1 
			 HR Officer 1 
			 Finance Officer (P/T) 1 
			 IT Support (P/T) 1 
			 Domestic Assistant (P/T) I 
			 Staff 64 
		
	
	The following table details the NIO funding provided to VSNI since 1999-2000. Funding substantially increased from 2001-02 with the development of two new servicesassistance for those claiming criminal injuries compensation and support for victims and witnesses attending court. In line with NIO retention policy information is not available from the formation of the organisation:
	
		
			  Financial year  Funding (000) 
			 1999-2000 767 
			 2000-01 787 
			 2001-02 1,405

Victim Support

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much financial support his Department gives to Victim Support Northern Ireland; and what mechanisms are in place to monitor how that funding is spent.

David Hanson: Victim Support Northern Ireland (VSNI) is an independent voluntary organisation core funded by the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) to provide information, support and practical help to victims of crime and witnesses.
	In 2005-06 the NIO provided funding of 1,907,000 to VSNI for the provision of its Community Service, Criminal Injuries Compensation Service and Court Witness Service.
	The NIO has an agreed Conditions of Grant with VSNI which specifies the services to be delivered by VSNI, the arrangements for monitoring service delivery and performance, the roles and responsibilities for the stewardship of public funds and general conditions. In accordance with the Conditions of Grant, the Department closely monitors both business and financial performance on a quarterly basis and also holds quarterly bilateral meetings with VSNI.

Water Supplies

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes are planned to the funding of water supplies in Northern Ireland.

David Cairns: From 1 April 2007 Northern Ireland's water and sewerage services will be provided by a Government owned company, Northern Ireland Water Limited (NIWL). Self-financing arrangements will be introduced which will result in the full costs incurred in providing water and sewerage services being recovered from charges to customers. The comprehensive water and sewerage charging regime to be introduced will involve the general introduction of unmeasured domestic water and sewerage charges with measured charges (i.e. metering) being introduced for all new properties and new connections. Meters will also be offered to pensioner households. In the non-domestic sector, water charges will be extended and sewerage charges introduced for all non-domestic customers.
	All these new charges will be phased in over three years so NIWL will not be fully self-financing until 2009-10. There will also be a low-income protection scheme in the form of an affordability tariff which will involve capping charges for eligible customers at an affordable level. The affordability tariff will ensure that eligible low-income households spend no more than 3 per cent. of their income on water and sewerage charges. As many as 200,000 households (30 per cent. of all households) in Northern Ireland who presently qualify for rate rebate, housing benefit or the new Northern Ireland rate relief scheme should benefit from this scheme. The affordability tariff will also extend to all 16 to 17-year-old householders and to children leaving care up to the age of 21. For those on low incomes, the affordability tariff will mean that no-one will pay more than 180 regardless of the value of the property in which they live. On 1 June 2006 the Government published draft legislation, entitled The Water and Sewerage Services (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, which will introduce important changes to the way water and sewerage services are delivered in Northern Ireland. Among other things the Draft Order sets out a framework for the levying of charges for water and sewerage services.